The purpose of this investigation was to determine the effects of protected passive mobilization on the repair processes of healing flexor tendons. The total DNA content of the healing tendon and tendon sheath was correlated with their vascularity over a twelve week period. A gradually increasing range of passive motion between the 21st and 84th days after operation was associated with reorientation of the blood vessels to a more normal pattern, a steady increase in sheath and repair site cellularity compared with the immobilized and control tendons. The altered vascularity reflected a stimulation of tendon scar remodeling, and the increased DNA signified an acceleration in tendon maturation.
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