Latest research on flexor tendon injuries

17 papers · updated 2026-09-26 · Hand & Upper Extremity · All topics

The newest papers on flexor tendon injuries from the orthopaedic journals The Reduction reads, newest first, each with a one-line summary. The list is drawn from the digest’s archive and refreshed every week.

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Recent papers

  1. Comparison of One- and Two-knot Techniques in Eight-Strand Flexor Tendon Repair Using Looped Sutures: A Biomechanical Study in a Porcine Model.

    Journal of Hand Surgery (American) · Sep 2026 · PubMed

    One-knot flexor tendon repair provides better gap resistance than two-knot repair, potentially reducing early gapping and improving early rehabilitation outcomes.

  2. Quantitative Analysis of Flexor Tendon Gliding Sounds of the Hand in Healthy Volunteers Using a Digital Stethoscope.

    HAND · Sep 16 2026 · PubMed

    Digital stethoscope recordings in 20 healthy volunteers revealed digit-specific acoustic signatures of flexor tendon gliding, providing reference data that could aid future diagnosis of conditions like trigger finger.

  3. Flexor Tendon Rupture after One Corticosteroid Injection in the Treatment of Trigger Finger: A Case Report and Literature Review.

    Journal of Hand Surgery (Asian-Pacific) · Aug 2026 · PubMed

    Flexor tendon rupture after single corticosteroid injection is rare but possible; extra-tendinous low-dose injection with activity restriction minimizes risk.

  4. Radiographic Risk Factors for Flexor Tendon Ruptures Following Distal Radius Volar Plating.

    Journal of Hand Surgery (American) · Aug 18 2026 · PubMed

    Excessive lateral carpal alignment (CARD >4.9mm) was the strongest predictor of flexor tendon rupture after volar plating, so correcting carpal alignment intraoperatively may reduce this risk when the plate is prominent.

  5. Evaluation Value of Shear Wave Elastography and Blood Flow Parameters in Functional Recovery After Surgical Repair of Hand Flexor Tendon Laceration.

    Journal of Hand Surgery (American) · Jun 2026 · PubMed

    Shear wave elastography ratios measured 2 weeks after flexor tendon repair predicted 12-week functional recovery, suggesting a role for imaging-guided, personalized rehab protocols.

  6. Zone-specific pitfalls in flexor tendon rehabilitation: management and prevention.

    Journal of Hand Surgery (European) · Mar 2025 · Review · PubMed

    This review outlines zone-specific complications like adhesions and contractures after flexor tendon repair and offers strategies for their prevention and management during rehabilitation.

  7. Complications of flexor tendon repair.

    Journal of Hand Surgery (European) · Feb 2024 · Review · PubMed

    Adhesion formation and IP joint stiffness remain complications after flexor tendon repair; early active mobilization and shorter splinting effectively prevent these sequelae.

  8. Relative motion flexion following zone I-III flexor tendon repair: Concepts, evidence and practice.

    Journal of Hand Therapy · 2023 · Review · PubMed

    This narrative review and small case series supports relative motion flexion orthoses with early active motion as a promising but still under-evidenced rehabilitation strategy after zone I-III flexor tendon repair.

  9. Flexor Tendon Repair: Avoidance and Management of Complications.

    Hand Clinics · Aug 2023 · Review · PubMed

    This review discusses strategies to prevent and manage flexor tendon repair complications like rupture and adhesions, emphasizing that a strong, gap-free repair is key to enabling safe early motion.

  10. Surgical Considerations for Flexor Tendon Repair: Timing and Choice of Repair Technique and Rehabilitation.

    Hand Clinics · May 2023 · Review · PubMed

    This review covers flexor tendon anatomy, healing, zone-specific repair techniques, and rehabilitation protocols that influence surgical outcomes.

  11. Tips to Successful Flexor Tendon Repair and Reconstruction with WALANT.

    Hand Clinics · May 2023 · Review · PubMed

    This article shares practical tips for improving flexor tendon repair and reconstruction outcomes using WALANT, leveraging intraoperative patient movement to refine technique.

  12. Flexor Tendon Repair Techniques: M-Tang Repair.

    Hand Clinics · May 2023 · Review · PubMed

    Multi-institution experience shows M-Tang zone 2 flexor tendon repair with early active motion yields 80-90% good/excellent results and near-zero rupture rates, though rupture rose slightly during the pandemic due to less supervised therapy.

  13. Flexor Tendon Adhesion Formation: Current Concepts.

    Hand Clinics · May 2023 · Review · PubMed

    Despite advances in antiadhesion technologies, no method perfectly inhibits flexor tendon adhesions while maintaining repair strength; emerging biomaterials show promise in animal models.

  14. Pediatric Flexor Tendon Injuries.

    Hand Clinics · May 2023 · Review · PubMed

    Pediatric flexor tendon injuries require age-appropriate examination, delayed diagnosis management, and tailored postoperative protocols for successful outcomes.

  15. Zone 1 Flexor Tendon Repairs: Laceration and Avulsion Injuries.

    Hand Clinics · May 2023 · Review · PubMed

    Zone 1 flexor tendon injuries from laceration or avulsion are well tolerated with appropriate repair techniques, though proximity to the DIP joint risks stiffness and flexion contracture.

  16. Direct Repair of Flexor Tendons Close to Bony Insertion and Ruptured Collateral Ligaments.

    Hand Clinics · Aug 2022 · Review · PubMed

    This Hand Clinics article discusses direct suture repair techniques for flexor tendon lacerations near bony insertion and for ruptured collateral ligaments, as alternatives to pullout suture methods.

  17. Rehabilitation after flexor tendon repair and others: a safe and efficient protocol.

    Journal of Hand Surgery (European) · Oct 2021 · Review · PubMed

    The author outlines a partial-range early active-passive flexion protocol after flexor tendon repair, emphasizing daily exercise volume, and proposes it as a generalizable principle for other hand conditions.

Landmark papers

  1. Digital function following flexor tendon repair in Zone II: A comparison of immobilization and controlled passive motion techniques

    Journal of Hand Surgery (American) · 1980 · cited 737 times · PubMed

    No abstract available; unable to provide clinical summary.

  2. Primary flexor tendon repair followed by immediate controlled mobilization

    Journal of Hand Surgery (American) · 1977 · cited 533 times · PubMed

    Foundational study establishing that primary flexor tendon repair followed by immediate controlled mobilization improves outcomes, underpinning modern zone 2 tendon rehabilitation protocols.

  3. Flexor tendon forces: In vivo measurements

    Journal of Hand Surgery (American) · 1992 · cited 491 times · PubMed

    Flexor tendon forces during pinch reach 12 kgf; measured force data guides postoperative rehabilitation protocols and tendon repair load requirements.

  4. Effects of early intermittent passive mobilization on healing canine flexor tendons

    Journal of Hand Surgery (American) · 1982 · cited 393 times · PubMed

    In a canine model, early passive mobilization of repaired flexor tendons produced markedly greater tensile strength and joint motion than delayed mobilization or immobilization, supporting early protected motion protocols.

  5. Development of flexor tendon surgery: Twenty-five years of progress

    Journal of Hand Surgery (American) · 2000 · cited 380 times · PubMed

    This J Hand Surg Am piece reviews 25 years of advances in flexor tendon surgery techniques and outcomes.

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