Gliding function following flexor-tendon injury. A biomechanical study of rat tendon function.

Gliding function of flexor tendons one hour to eight weeks after a standard injury was studied in rat digits by determining terminal force of flexion, tendon excursion, and work of flexion using a tensile testing machine. A rapid decrease in gliding occurred within hours of injury, indicating that the postoperative hematoma and edema restrict gliding long before collagenous adhesions are synthesized. The improvement in gliding function with time implies that fibrous adhesions can be remodeled. Surgical methods and therapeutic agents, therefore, should be directed toward limiting early tissue injury and seeking ways to enhance the late remodeling of fibrous peritendinous adhesions along functional lines.