Dr. Neal ElAttrache is a member of the Kerlan-Jobe Orthopaedic Clinic Board of Directors, Chairman of the Board of the Kerlan-Jobe Orthopaedic Foundation.
In surgery,
ElAttrache executed a technique called “internal bracing” after initially repairing
Akers’ tendon tissue, which meant adding a sutured bridge brace over the top of the repair. The extra support — in theory and also in Akers’ case — helps protect and stabilize the repair site so the patient can begin physical activity much earlier in the rehab process while the underlying repair heals securely.
“It’s helping to bolster up the strength of that tendon so you can really start going through rehabilitation steps earlier — it’s going to hold up and it’s going to take the stress off of the fibers that were correctly repaired.
“Instead of having many strings trying to tie the ends of two mops together, you really stretch a suture across from the mop (handles) themselves which really keeps things in place, and you’re not relying fully on those frayed fibers of the tendon.”
Akers’ tendon was extremely healthy on either side of the tear, allowed Scott, Cunningham and the Rams training staff to introduce certain rehab and physical therapy techniques into Akers’ routine much earlier than usual while simultaneously preventing the atrophy that occurs if the tendon and leg have to remain immobile. It essentially limits the amount of blood going into the (affected) region, and blocks more of it coming out.
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