***TASK*** the task is to summarize an input biomedical literature in six sentences 
    ***INPUT*** the input is a biomedical literature 
    ***OUTPUT*** the output is the summary of an input biomedical literature in six sentences 
    ***DOCUMENTATION*** 
    ***EXAMPLES*** 
    Input: Abstract The aim of this prospect i ve , r and omised , controlled trail was to compare two methods of rehabilitating extensor tendon repairs in zones V – VII . Patients who incurred simple and complete lacerations of their extensor tendons in zones V – VII enrolled into the study and underwent either static splinting ( n = 25 ) or dynamic splinting ( n = 27 ) after primary acute repair of tendons .  Extension lag , flexion deficit , total active motion ( TAM ) , grip strength , and functional status of upper extremities were measured . TAM was improved in the dynamic group when compared with the static group in the injured digits at 4 weeks ( p = 0.001 ) , at 12 weeks ( p = 0.05 ) , and at 6 months ( p = 0.001 ) . Grip strength outcomes demonstrated improved grip force for the dynamic group when compared with the static group at 12 weeks ( p = 0.001 ) . There were no ruptures in either group . Also , a better functional level was found in the dynamic splinting group at 6 months ( p = 0.001 ) . The findings of the current study suggest that dynamic splinting of complex lacerations of the extensor tendons in zones V – VII provides improved functional outcomes at 4 and 12 weeks and 6 months when compared with static splinting OBJECTIVE This pilot study compared the effectiveness of 3 postoperative rehabilitation protocol s for patients with Zones V and VI extensor tendon lacerations . METHOD Twenty-seven patients were recruited from 3 sites and r and omly assigned to 1 of 3 established treatment protocol s : immobilization , early passive motion ( EPM ) , and early active motion ( EAM ) . Outcome measures were collected at 3 , 6 , and 12 wk after treatment and included total active motion ( TAM ) . RESULTS At the end of Week 12 , data on 24 injured digits of 18 patients were available for analysis . When data at Weeks 3 , 6 , and 12 were compared , patients in all groups showed steady improvement in TAM , but digits under the EAM treatment improved to a greater extent over time ( F[2 , 46 ] = 75.6 , p < .001 ) . CONCLUSION Patients with Zones V and VI extensor tendon injuries treated with the EAM protocol recovered range of motion more rapidly STUDY DESIGN Prospect i ve cohort . INTRODUCTION The Immediate Controlled Active Motion program , used to manage extensor tendon repairs in the h and , immobilizes the wrist in an orthosis with the affected finger(s ) placed in a separate yoke orthosis allowing controlled flexion . PURPOSE To compare our outcomes using similar programs in patients with simple extensor tendon lacerations to those previously reported . To compare our 4-week orthotic intervention to our 6-week orthotic intervention . METHODS 18 subjects received a 4-week orthotic intervention , 45 subjects received a 6-week orthotic intervention .  Range of motion was measured 4 , 6 and 8 weeks post-repair , grip strength at 6 and 8 weeks , and patient-rated outcomes at baseline , 6 and 12 weeks post-repair . RESULTS Significant improvements in all outcomes were seen over time ( p < 0.0001 ) , with no significant differences between programs . CONCLUSION Outcomes were comparable with those previously published and similar between the 4-week and 6-week orthotic interventions . LEVEL OF EVIDENCE III Forty-two patients with 46 complete extensor tendon injuries were prospect ively allocated to one of three rehabilitation regimes : static splintage ; interphalangeal joint mobilization with metacarpophalangeal joint immobilization or ; the “ Norwich ” regime .  All 42 patients were operated on by one surgeon and assessed by one h and therapist . At 4 weeks the total active motion in the static splintage group was significantly reduced but by 12 weeks there was no difference between the regimes . There was no difference in total active motion between the repaired and uninjured h and at 12 weeks , with all patients achieving good or excellent results . However , grip strength at 12 weeks was significantly reduced compared to the uninjured h and after static splintage . There was no difference in h and therapy input between the regimes PURPOSE Extensor tendon injuries are common ; however , relatively few studies have evaluated extensor tendon repair methods . The purpose of this study was to investigate the properties of the running-interlocking horizontal mattress repair method with regard to tendon shortening , stiffness , strength , and time needed to perform the repair , compared with the modified Bunnell method and the augmented Becker method . METHODS Twenty-four extensor tendons from 8 fresh-frozen cadaveric h and s were harvested from zone 6 . The harvested tendons were r and omly assigned into 1 of 3 repair groups : augmented Becker , modified Bunnell , and running-interlocking horizontal mattress repair methods . The running-interlocking horizontal mattress repair combines a running suture with an interlocking horizontal mattress suture . Each repaired tendon was measured for length before and after repair and tested for stiffness , ultimate load to failure , and time required to perform the repair . RESULTS The running-interlocking horizontal mattress repair was significantly stiffer ( 8,506 N/m ) than the augmented Becker ( 5,971 N/m ) and the modified Bunnell ( 6,719 N/m ) repairs . The running-interlocking horizontal mattress repair result ed in significantly less shortening ( 1.7 mm ) than the augmented Becker ( 6.2 mm ) and modified Bunnell ( 6.3 mm ) repairs . The running-interlocking horizontal mattress repair took significantly less time to perform without a significant difference in the ultimate load to failure  ( running-interlocking horizontal mattress repair , 51 N ; augmented Becker , 53 N ; modified Bunnell , 48 N ) . CONCLUSIONS The running-interlocking horizontal mattress repair is significantly stiffer and faster to perform than either the augmented Becker or the modified Bunnell repairs , and it results in less shortening than either of these methods . The running-interlocking horizontal mattress repair should be strong enough to withst and some early motion This study describes the epidemiology of a range of adult musculoskeletal soft tissue injuries . Our institution is the only hospital treating adults with musculoskeletal trauma in a well-defined catchment population of about 535,000 . Demographic details over 5 years were recorded prospect ively . Eighteen injury types were studied including anterior cruciate ligament ( ACL ) rupture , acromioclavicular joint ( ACJ ) injury , Achilles , patellar and quadriceps tendon ruptures , h and tendon injuries and mallet finger . 2794 patients presented with ligamentous or tedinous injuries over 5 years . 74.2 % of patients were male , giving an incidence of 166.6/100,000 per year for males and 52.1/100,000 per year for females . The mean age was 36.3 years : 33.1 in males , 43.6 in females . 1040 ( 37.2 % ) were knee injuries : 75.6 % were male with mean age 32.9 , compared with 35.3 in females . 947 cases were h and tendon injuries ( 33.9 % ) : 72.1 % were male , with mean age 34.5 compared with 42.0 in females . Meniscal injury of the knee was the commonest injury with an incidence of 23.8/100,000 per year . Other common injuries were h and extensor tendons ( 18/100,000 per year ) , ACJ injury ( 14.5/100,000 per year ) , Achilles tendon rupture ( 11.3/100,000 per year ) , mallet finger ( 9.9/100,000 per year ) and ACL rupture ( 8.1/100,000 per year ) . Achilles , patellar and quadriceps tendon rupture and mallet finger were injuries of middle age ; rotator cuff tears and biceps tendon rupture were commoner in the elderly but all other injuries predominated in young patients . All injuries were commoner in males . Most soft tissue injuries follow distribution curves previously described for fracture epidemiology but three new distribution curves are presented for the injuries which predominate in middle age This prospect i ve , r and omized , controlled trial compared two methods of rehabilitating extensor tendon repairs in zones IV – VIII . Group A patients followed an early active mobilization regimen and Group B patients followed a dynamic splintage regimen . Data on 19 patients in Group A and 17 patients in Group B were collected at 4 weeks and at final follow-up ( 3 months median follow-up for both groups ) . Extension lag , flexion deficit and total active motion ( TAM ) were measured . At 4 weeks , patients in Group B had a better TAM ( median 87 % , range 56–102 % ) compared to patients in Group A ( median 77 % , range 52–97 % ) . At final follow-up , there were no significant differences in the results of the two groups . There were no ruptures in either group We present a prospect i ve r and omized trial of two groups of 50 patients each having complete zone 5 and 6 extensor tendon injuries . These were rehabilitated by the use of either a dynamic outrigger splint or a palmar blocking splint . The results were analysed using the Miller and TAM assessment s. Good and excellent results were achieved in 95 and 98 % of cases following dynamic outrigger mobilization and 93 and 95 % of cases using palmar blocking splint mobilization , using the Miller and TAM assessment s respectively . There was no statistical difference in the results obtained between the two groups . Therefore , we prefer the latter technique which is simple , cheap , more convenient and requires less therapy time PURPOSE To investigate the influence of a dynamic splinting protocol on outcomes of extensor tendon repairs . METHODS All patients in a prospect ively collected data base underwent extensor tendon repair by a single surgeon between 2004 and 2008 . The inclusion criterion was simple extensor tendon repairs in zone IV and V in the fingers and zones TI to TIII in the thumb . The tendon repairs used a 4-str and core technique and running epitendinous suture . Within 7 days , each subject began using a dynamic extension splint during the day and a static extension splint at night . The extension splint allowed the patient to passively extend and actively flex the digits . After 3 weeks , the dynamic splint was discontinued and the patients were started on active digital motion . Static night splinting was continued for the next 3 weeks , after which time splinting was discontinued and strengthening was instituted . A total of 17 patients with 19 tendon lacerations met the inclusion criterion . There were 5 patients with lacerations of the thumb extensors and 12 patients with zone IV/V finger extensor tendon lacerations . The average time from injury to surgery was 11 days ( range , 2 - 39 d ) . The follow-up was 43 to 215 days , with an average of 96 days . RESULTS A total of 16 patients achieved good or excellent results by 6 weeks according to our grading system . One patient had a fair result . There were no ruptures and no tenolysis surgeries performed . CONCLUSIONS Dynamic splinting result ed in generally good functional outcomes for extensor tendon laceration repairs in zone IV/V and TI to TIII , without complications . TYPE OF STUDY /LEVEL OF EVIDENCE Therapeutic IV To compare the functional results of early controlled mobilisation and static immobilisation following repair of extensor tendons , we conducted a comparative study between two centres . In one , a consecutive series of tenorrhaphy patients was treated post-operatively by the dynamic splinting technique . In the other , a consecutive group was treated by static splinting . All patients treated by dynamic splinting were grade d excellent within six weeks following surgery ; no tendon ruptures occurred and no secondary corrective tendon surgery was required . After static splinting , 40 % were grade d excellent , 31 % good , 29 % fair , and none poor ; six fingers treated by static splintage subsequently required tenolysis . Following surgical repair of extensor tendons of the h and , patients treated by early controlled motion regain better flexion function in terms of grip strength and pulp-to-palm distance .  Dynamic splinting is a more effective technique than static splinting in the prevention of extensor lag In a prospect i ve review we assessed the results of extensor tendon injuries managed postoperatively with a static splint .  Thirty-three patients with 44 injured digits were assessed 4 months after primary tendon repair , using the Strickl and -Glogovac criteria . Patients were managed in a static splint , the duration of which was guided by the zone of injury . Four months after repair , excellent or good results were obtained in 95 % . Overall it was found that static splinting was an effective and safe method of management after extensor tendon repair STUDY DESIGN Systematic review . INTRODUCTION Controversy exists as to which rehabilitation protocol provides the best outcomes for patients after surgical repair of the extensor tendons of the h and . PURPOSE OF THE STUDY To determine which rehabilitation protocol yields the best outcomes with respect to range of motion and grip strength in extensor zones V-VIII of the h and . METHODS A comprehensive literature review and assessment was undertaken by two independent review ers . Method ological quality of r and omized controlled trials and cohort studies was assessed using the Scottish Intercollegiate Guidelines Network scale . RESULTS Seventeen articles were included in the final analysis ( κ=0.9 ) . From this total , seven evaluated static splinting , 12 evaluated dynamic splinting  , and 
    Output:
    
Average quality evidence supports the use of early active motion ( EAM ) as the superior motion protocol , but optimal orthosis to deliver EAM could not be determined .