This prospective randomized controlled clinical study is designed to compare the treatment outcomes of different immobilisation duration by dividing the patients into four groups according to immobilisation duration of 0, 2, 4, and 6 weeks after a similar suture technique. The primary outcome was the time of return to light sports activity (LSA). Secondary outcomes included range of motion (ROM) and single-legged heel rise height (SHRH). Data on operation time, complications, visual analogue pain scale (VAS), American Orthopaedic Foot and Ankle Society (AOFAS) hindfoot score, and Achilles tendon Total Rupture score (ATRS) were also collected. Demographic baseline data were analysed using one-way analysis of variance; outcome parameters were analysed using Kruskal-Wallis H test, and complications were analysed using Fisher's exact test. Statistical significance was considered at P ≤ 0.05.~The inclusion criteria were patients aged 18 to 60 years with an acute closed single-legged complete ATR who underwent open surgery with our suture technique.~The excluded criteria were patients with prior ATR and those without rehabilitation or follow-up outcomes. Other situations that affected patients' lower limb functions or tendon healing (e.g. autoimmune disease, diabetes mellitus, systemic corticosteroid treatment) were also excluded.
This study is a prospective randomized controlled clinical study. After the novel Achilles tendon rupture repaired , patients were randomly divided into 4 groups according to immobilisation duration of 0, 2, 4, and 6 weeks, respectively. All patients underwent the same suture technique with a similar rehabilitation protocol and were examined clinically at 2, 4, 6, 8, 10, 12, 14, 16, 24, and 48 weeks to study the difference in efficacy among the groups.