Healing of the medial collateral ligament in rats. The effects of repair,

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motion, and secondary stabilizing ligaments. Hart-DP; Dahners-LE Department of Surgery, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. J-Bone-Joint-Surg-Am. 1987 Oct; 69(8): 1194-9 The effects of repair, motion, and the integrity of the secondary ligamentous restraints on healing of the medial collateral ligament were studied in a rat model. Healing was assessed by measuring ligamentous laxity and tensile strength. All healing ligaments were weaker and more lax than their controls. Repair did not have a statistically significant effect on the laxity or the strength of the medial collateral ligament. Allowing active motion had a statistically significant beneficial effect on the strength of the medial collateral ligament. Stability was adversely affected by active motion if the secondary restraints had been transected; however, when the secondary ligamentous restraints were intact, active motion was beneficial and immobilization was harmful.