Flexor tendon repair rehabilitation in Turkiye, therapists' current management trends: a cross-sectional survey study.

BACKGROUND

Flexor tendon injuries are prevalent in Turkey and interest in hand rehabilitation is steadily increasing. However, there is no consensus regarding therapists’ rehabilitation decisions. Therefore, the aim of this study is to investigate the current approaches of hand therapists Turkey toward flexor tendon injuries.

METHOD

A 15-item multiple-choice online survey was distributed via WhatsApp to therapists actively working in the field of hand rehabilitation in hospitals, clinics, public health institutions, and universities, who were also members of the Turkish Hand Therapists Association. The survey was distributed at two different points and remained open from February 2025 to April 2025.

RESULTS

​This study surveyed 117 members of the Turkey Hand Therapists Association, achieving a 51.28% response rate with 60 therapists participating. Among respondents, 68.3% were physiotherapists, 20% academicians, and 11.7% occupational therapists. Half reported 0–5 years of experience, and 51.6% held postgraduate degrees. The majority (31.7%) initiated rehabilitation within postoperative weeks 0–1, and 78.3% had communication with the surgeon. The most preferred rehabilitation protocol was a combination of early active and early passive motions (60%). Regarding treatment specifics, 33.3% administered a total of 15 rehabilitation sessions, with session durations typically between 20 and 40 min (45%). Session frequency varied, with 35% conducting five sessions per week. Experience was the primary factor influencing protocol selection (73.3%). The most used assessment method was measuring normal joint range of motion (85%), while adhesion (73.3%) was the most frequently encountered complication, and re-rupture (15%) was the least common.

CONCLUSIONS

In Turkey, there has been a transition toward early mobilization approaches particularly employing early active motion techniques. However, parameters such as the frequency and duration of rehabilitation vary significantly among therapists. Therefore, future research in Turkey should aim to identify the most effective rehabilitation frequency and duration parameters by promoting enhanced collaboration among therapists.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12891-025-08960-x.