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Free rehabilitation does not lead to increased failure rates after meniscal repair
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The use of free rehabilitation after meniscus repair does not lead to increased failure rates in patients who undergo meniscal repair compared to a more restricted rehabilitation program, according to researchers from Denmark.
“Free rehabilitation after meniscus repair is safe and does not entail increased failure rates compared with restricted rehabilitation. Subjective and functional outcomes at 1- and 2-year follow-up were not affected by rehabilitation regimen,” Martin Lind, MD, PhD, and colleagues wrote in the study abstract. “Clinical outcomes in patients with repair failure who underwent subsequent partial meniscectomy were poorer than in those with healed meniscus repairs. A concern is the 30% overall lack of healing for patients with isolated meniscus lesions repaired with the all-inside technique.
In the study, patients who participated in free rehabilitation were allowed range of motion between 0° and 90° range of motion (ROM) with no brace and touch weight-bearing, with unrestricted activity and free ROM after 2 weeks. Patients in the restricted rehabilitation group had 6 weeks of brace use with a gradual increase to 90° and only touch weight-bearing, according to the abstract.
Overall, 28% of patients in the free rehabilitation group and 26% of patients in the restricted rehabilitation group had repeat arthroscopy which indicated partial or lack of healing. Patient satisfaction, Knee Osteoarthritis Outcome Scores and Tegner scores were not significantly different between groups.
Disclosure: The authors have no relevant financial disclosures.
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