A portable device for finger tendon rehabilitation that provides an isotonic training force and records exercise behaviour after finger tendon surgery

For most hand surgeons, flexor tendon repairs in zone 2 of the hand still present a clinical problem. The surgeon is placed in a dilemma: on the one hand, if repair is achieved and the finger is kept immobile during the healing phase, dense adhesions may bind the tendons within the sheath and limit motion. On the other hand, uncontrolled early flexion may disrupt the tendon repair. Early ‘controlled motion’ increases tensile strength, reduces the formation of adhesions and improves clinical results. To investigate the relationship between the patient's compliance concerning the post-operative motion regimen and the final range of motion, a device has been developed which records when and how often the patient exercises. The device is attached to a modified Kleinert splint. This configuration enables comparison of the outcome of the rehabilitation of patients who exercise according to the rehabilitation programme with patients who exercise less often. The device measures for up to one week. It is possible to download the available measurement samples (exercise count per quarter of an hour) for inspecting the training course or for further analysis/statistics.