Supervised Physiotherapy Improves Three-Dimensional (3D) Gait Parameters in Patients after Surgical Suturing of the Achilles Tendon Using an Open Method (SSATOM)

Abstract

Background: The aim of this study was to assess the effectiveness of 38 supervised postoperative physiotherapy (SVPh) visits conducted between 1 and 20 weeks after SSATOM on the values of 3D gait parameters measured at 10 and 20 weeks after surgery. Material: Group I comprised male patients (n = 22) after SSATOM (SVPh x = 38 visits) and Group II comprised male patients (n = 22) from the control group. Methods: A non-randomized, open-label, controlled clinical trial was performed in the two groups to obtain the following values: Step length (cm), stride length (cm), step width (cm), next stance phase (%), swing phase (%), double support (%), gait velocity (m/s), and walking frequency (step/min). The measurements were carried out using the BTS SMART system (Italy). Results: Orthopedic examination showed no pain, a negative result of Thompson and Matles tests, and proper healing of Achilles tendon (ultrasound image). In Group I, between 10 and 20 weeks after SSATOM, there was a statistically significant improvement in all tested gait parameter values (p ≤ 0.001 to 0.009). Conclusions: Conducting 38 SVPh visits significantly improved the values of the analyzed kinematic and spatiotemporal gait parameters in patients in the twentieth week after SSATOM, which were mostly close to the non-operated side and the results of the control group. However, the gait speed and stride length were not close to the results of the control group.

Retrospective Study from a Single Center in Poland of Postoperative Outcomes of Muscle Strength in Patients After Surgical Suturing of the Achilles Tendon Using a Kessler’s Suture and 28 Weeks of Supervised Postoperative Physiotherapy

“…We do not have comprehensive knowledge of whether the above-mentioned factors can affect the level of symmetry of the IT and PT values acting on the ankle joint in the sagittal plane between the non-operated and operated limbs after an open surgical suturing of the AT via Kessler’s method. We assessed the impact of SVPh on the values of the vertical component of ground reaction forces during both-legged and single-legged vertical hops and the quality of gait in patients after Achilles tendon surgical suturing using Kessler’s suture (ATSSKS) in 2 previously published articles [ 9 , 10 ]. Based on these studies, we ascertained that a greater number of visits correlated with more symmetrical results of the kinematic and spatiotemporal gait values between the lower limbs and the values of vertical components of the ground reaction forces during both-legged and single-legged hops.…”