Table 4.
Creep, Tendon Elastic Modulus, Tendon Cross-sectional Area, and Gap Elongation a
| P Values | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Control Group b | n | Loaded Group b | n | Mean Difference | 95% CI | Group | Time | Group × Time | |
| Creep at 7 wk, % | 0.84 ± 0.61 | 15 | 1.14 ± 0.82 | 13 | 0.35 | −0.91 to 0.20 | .20 | NA | NA |
| Elastic modulus, MPa | |||||||||
| 7 wk | 59.5 ± 27.0 c | 15 | 44.5 ± 20.1 c | 15 | −15.0 | −37.2 to 7.17 | .03 | <.001 | .55 |
| 19 wk | 108 ± 45.2 c | 18 | 95.6 ± 38.2 c | 16 | −11.9 | −48.0 to 24.1 | |||
| 52 wk | 405 ± 223 c | 18 | 292 ± 180 c | 17 | −113 | −285 to 59.1 | |||
| Cross-sectional area, mm2 | |||||||||
| 7 wk | 188 ± 65.4 | 19 | 231 ± 99.5 | 20 | 43.5 | −24.0 to 111 | .04 | <.001 | .97 |
| 19 wk | 335 ± 87.2 c | 18 | 388 ± 142 c | 17 | 52.3 | −49.9 to 155 | |||
| 52 wk | 252 ± 49.2 c | 18 | 302 ± 62.4 d | 19 | 49.7 | 3.46 to 96.0 | |||
| Gap elongation (distance between beads), mm | |||||||||
| 2-7 wk | 1.31 ± 2.76 | 14 | 1.94 ± 5.30 | 15 | 0.63 | −3.40 to 4.66 | .26 | .13 | .37 |
| 7-19 wk | 1.19 ± 3.71 | 15 | 4.05 ± 6.41 | 14 | 2.85 | −2.25 to 7.96 | |||
| 19-52 wk | 0.40 ± 2.63 | 15 | 1.43 ± 3.80 | 14 | 1.03 | −2.11 to 4.17 | |||
| 2-52 wk | 2.86 ± 5.52 | 14 | 7.35 ± 13.9 | 14 | 4.49 | −3.07 to 12.7 | .27 | NA | NA |
| 7-52 wk | 1.59 ± 4.55 | 15 | 5.47 ± 8.71 | 15 | 3.87 | −1.32 to 9.07 | .14 | NA | NA |
a
Data were analyzed using repeated mixed-effects models with group and time as main factors followed by the Šidák multiple comparisons test, except for creep and gap elongation (2-52 weeks and 7-52 weeks), which were analyzed using independent Student t test. NA, not analyzed because the time factor was not available.
b
Values are expressed as mean ± SD.
c
Significant effect of time compared with the earlier time point.
d
Significant effect of group.