Effect of Myofascial Release on Pain, Grip Strength, Manual Dexterity, and Quality of Life in Late-Term Rehabilitation of Hand Flexor Tendon Repairs
For patients and families
In plain language
An automatic summary of structured registry data. It is an orientation aid, not a substitute for the official protocol or a physician assessment.
- What is being studied
- The protocol lists: Fascial mobilization therapy, conventional physiotherapy.
- Who it may be relevant to
- Registry conditions: Hand Flexor Tendon, Facial Mobilization, Exercise. Basic parameters: 18 years — 65 years · All.
- What needs checking
- Age, condition and sex are only basic indicators. Prior treatment, laboratory values and other mandatory requirements appear in the eligibility criteria below.
- Where it takes place
- Turkey (Türkiye)
- Next step
- Save the trial, show it to the treating physician, and confirm current recruitment with the study center. Costs, documents and travel →
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Official title
Myofascial Release
Overview
The aim of this study was to investigate the effectiveness of myofascial release exercises performed in the late period compared to classical physiotherapy training in individuals with hand flexor tendon repair.
Detailed description
The hand is the organ we use most in our daily activities, sports activities, expressing ourselves, and performing our jobs. Flexor tendon injuries are among the most common injuries to the hand. The incidence of flexor tendon injuries is estimated at 7-14 per 100,000 people. The flexor tendon can be injured by a blunt or sharp instrument, crushed, or torn by avulsion. It is difficult for tendons to heal without surgery after an injury. Because tendons are composed of living cells and connective tissue, healing begins with cells from both inside and outside the tendon when the tendon ends are brought together. However, scar tissue that forms after surgery adheres the repaired tendons to the surrounding area, limiting movement. Therefore, rehabilitation protocols implemented to ensure proper gliding again and postoperative splinting are essential for tendon healing in tendon injuries are crucial. Tendon Rehabilitation Extension block splints should place the wrist in 30 degrees of flexion to reduce tension in flexor tendon repairs and minimize the risk of postoperative tendon rupture, with the metacarpophalangeal joints at 45-70 degrees of flexion and the interphalangeal joints held in near full extension or slight flexion (15 degrees). Sutures are removed two weeks postoperatively. Thanks to advances in biomechanics and clinical research, there is a general understanding that early therapy-guided tendon release is more beneficial than strict immobilization in efforts to achieve maximum functional recovery. Mobilization promotes intrinsic tendon healing, increases tensile strength, and improves tendon glide while reducing adhesion formation. All of this translates to optimized joint motion, fewer flexion contractures, and overall improved functional outcomes. Tendon repair rehabilitation programs are ideally structured to improve overall hand function while facilitating diverse soft tissue injuries. Flexor tendon rehabilitation protocols are broadly divided into three groups: immobilization, early passive mobilization, and early active mobilization. The selection of a rehabilitation protocol should be determined by considering factors such as the patient's age, ability to comply with treatment, and suture strength.
Current techniques in flexor tendon repair have led to advancements in rehabilitation practice, encouraging a shift from passive methods to early, controlled, and more active approaches. Optimal flexor tendon surgery and treatment outcomes depend on a patient-centered protocol rather than a strictly structured protocol.
Individuals aged 18-65 who have suffered a flexor tendon injury and have undergone related surgery, and who have no neurological symptoms in the repaired extremity will be included in the study.
Individuals who have previously undergone hand surgery for any reason other than this injury, who have a comorbid mental, physical, or neurological chronic illness, who have cognitive problems that impede communication, or who have any other problems that impede cooperation will not be included in the study. When we divided the included individuals into two groups, the control group will receive only conventional physiotherapy, while the study group will additionally receive myofascial release exercises. Pre- and post-treatment evaluations will be conducted. The aim of our randomized controlled trial was to investigate the effects of myofascial release on pain, dexterity, function, and quality of life in the late-stage rehabilitation of hand flexor tendon repairs.
Interventions
- Other Fascial mobilization therapy
Patients in this group will receive training in myofascial release exercises in addition to the exercises in the control group. Similar to the control group, patients in this group will be asked to continue home exercises five times a week for eight weeks after their two-week treatment.The patients in the study group will receive the same treatment, twice a week for 12 weeks, with each session lasting 45 minutes. - Other conventional physiotherapy
Conservative treatment methods such as TENS, Hotpack and normal joint range of motion exercises and tendon gliding exercises and streching exercise will be applied twice a week for 12 weeks, with each session lasting 45 minutes.
Primary outcome measures
- The pain [Time frame: through of the study, average 8 weeks]
- Grip strength [Time frame: through of the study, average 8 weeks]
- Hand skills [Time frame: through of the study, average 8 weeks]
- Short form SF-36 Quality of life [Time frame: through of the study, average 8 weeks]
Secondary outcome measures (4)
- Upper extremity functionality [Time frame: through of the study, average 8 weeks]
- Range of Motion [Time frame: through of the study, average 8 weeks]
- Kinesiophobia [Time frame: through of the study, average 8 weeks]
- Daily living activities [Time frame: through of the study, average 8 weeks]
Eligibility criteria
Inclusion criteria
- Being between the ages of 18 and 65,
- Having a hand flexor tendon injury and subsequent surgery,
- Not having a symptom of deterioration in the extremity being cared for,
- Having adequate communication skills,
- Voluntarily participating in the study.
Exclusion criteria
- Having had previous hand surgery for any reason other than this injury,
- Having a comorbid mental, physical, or neurological chronic illness,
- Having cognitive problems that prevent communication,
- Having any problem that prevents cooperation.
Criteria are shown verbatim from the registry (in English). Final eligibility is always assessed by the study center.
Healthy volunteers: Yes
Study design
- Allocation
- Randomized
- Model
- Parallel assignment
- Masking
- Single blind
- Primary purpose
- Treatment
Study locations
Turkey (Türkiye) · 1 center
- Hasan Kalyoncu University — Gaziantep
Publications
- Sheereen FJ, Sarkar B, Sahay P, Shaphe MA, Alghadir AH, Iqbal A, Ali T, Ahmad F. Comparison of Two Manual Therapy Programs, including Tendon Gliding Exercises as a Common Adjunct, While Managing the Participants with Chronic Carpal Tunnel Syndrome. Pain Res Manag. 2022 Jun 8;2022:1975803. doi: 10.1155/2022/1975803. eCollection 2022. PMID 35719196
- Yakut Y, Yakut E, Bayar K, Uygur F. Reliability and validity of the Turkish version short-form McGill pain questionnaire in patients with rheumatoid arthritis. Clin Rheumatol. 2007 Jul;26(7):1083-7. doi: 10.1007/s10067-006-0452-6. Epub 2006 Nov 15. PMID 17106618
- Ennaciri B, Mahfoud M, El Bardouni A, Berrada MS. Exceptional laceration of flexor digitorum tendons proximal to a severe palmar hand wound: a case report with literature review. Pan Afr Med J. 2015 Nov 20;22:266. doi: 10.11604/pamj.2015.22.266.7495. eCollection 2015. PMID 26958129
- Mattar TG, Junior RM, Cho AB, Paula EJ, Rezende MR. COMPARATIVE STUDY BETWEEN TRADITIONAL TENOLYSES AND WITH INTRAOPERATIVE AWAKENING PERFORMED ON THE FLEXOR OSTEOFIBROUS TUNNEL REGION OF THE HANDS (ZONE 2). Rev Bras Ortop. 2015 Dec 8;44(4):324-9. doi: 10.1016/S2255-4971(15)30161-0. eCollection 2009 Jan. PMID 27022514
- Quadlbauer S, Pezzei Ch, Jurkowitsch J, Reb P, Beer T, Leixnering M. Early Passive Movement in flexor tendon injuries of the hand. Arch Orthop Trauma Surg. 2016 Feb;136(2):285-93. doi: 10.1007/s00402-015-2362-z. Epub 2015 Dec 11. PMID 26659831
- Watanabe K, Ota H, Sasaki H. Eight-strand Cross-locked Cruciate Flexor Tendon Repair Using Double-stranded Suture: A Description of the Surgical Technique. Plast Reconstr Surg Glob Open. 2016 Nov 7;4(11):e1048. doi: 10.1097/GOX.0000000000001048. eCollection 2016 Nov. PMID 27975005
- Stevens KA, Caruso JC, Fallahi AKM, Patino JM. Flexor Tendon Lacerations. 2023 Jun 20. In: StatPearls [Internet]. Treasure Island (FL): StatPearls Publishing; 2026 Jan-. Available from http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK493223/ PMID 29630275
- Ranjan V, Mehta M, Mehta M, Mishra P, Joshi T, Kumar T. The Outcomes of Flexor Tendon Injury Repair of the Hand: A Clinico-Epidemiological Study. Cureus. 2023 Jan 18;15(1):e33912. doi: 10.7759/cureus.33912. eCollection 2023 Jan. PMID 36819329
Identifiers
NCT: NCT07233369 · 2025/092