Shockwave Therapy Plus Eccentric Exercises Versus Isolated Eccentric Exercises for Achilles Insertional Tendinopathy

2021 ◽  
Vol Publish Ahead of Print ◽  
Author(s):  
Nacime Salomão Barbachan Mansur ◽  
Fabio Teruo Matsunaga ◽  
Oreste Lemos Carrazzone ◽  
Bruno Schiefer dos Santos ◽  
Carlos Gilberto Nunes ◽  
...  
Author(s):  
Nicola Maffulli ◽  
Amol Saxena ◽  
Emilio Wagner ◽  
Guglielmo Torre

Achilles tendon pathology is a most common musculoskeletal condition in active individuals and athletes. Almost 6% of the general population will suffer from such ailment in their lifetime. Insertional Achilles tendinopathy (IAT) differs in its physiopathology, clinical features and treatment from midportion tendinopathy. The literature has mainly focused on assessment, outcome evaluation and treatment of IAT, although differences in management according to different geographical regions have not been addressed. The principles of clinical evaluation and imaging assessment of IAT are well established, with a major role of clinical assessment and soft tissue imaging, including ultrasonography and MRI. Conservative management options include eccentric training, extracorporeal shockwave therapy and prolotherapy, or a combination of these modalities. Recently, regenerative medicine has been more widely used, with at times dubious results. Surgery is advocated where conservative treatment is not beneficial within 6 months. Surgery includes more or less extensive debridement of peritendinous bony and soft tissue structures. To improve our knowledge about IAT, more evidence should be provided concerning innovative treatments, especially considering growth factors injections and percutaneous surgery.


2019 ◽  
Vol 13 (Supl 1) ◽  
pp. 10S
Author(s):  
Tiago Soares Baumfeld ◽  
Nacime Salomão Barbachan Mansur ◽  
Fernando Villalon ◽  
Paulo Dos Santos ◽  
Bruno Shiefer ◽  
...  

Introduction: Conservative treatment for insertional Achilles tendinopathy (IAT) has failed to produce encouraging results in recent years. Shockwave therapy (SWT) has become a reliable option for the management of this disease in recent years. The objective of this study is to report the effectiveness of low-energy SWT combined with an eccentric strengthening protocol in 19 consecutive patients. Methods: This is a prospective study of 19 patients diagnosed with IAT. The protocol consisted of SWT combined with eccentric training for 12 weeks. All patients were evaluated on the first day and after 24 weeks using the Victorian Institute of Sport Assessment-Achilles (VISA-A) score, the Pain Visual Analog Scale (VAS) and the American Orthopedic Foot and Ankle Society (AOFAS) questionnaire and algometry. The patients were also evaluated for compliance with the protocol, complications and final outcome. Results: All patients completed the study without complications. In total, 15 (79%) patients fully complied with the Alfredson protocol, and 13 (68%) considered the treatment successful. At the final evaluation, the patients required more pressure on the calcaneus to trigger pain (Algometry 1), reported less pain when applying the algometer with 3 kg of pressure (Algometry 2) and had less global pain (VAS) and higher AOFAS and VISA-A scores. All differences were significant. Conclusion: Eccentric training combined with SWT is an effective treatment for IAT. Further placebo-controlled studies with a longer follow-up are necessary to support this statement.


2019 ◽  
Vol 12 (6) ◽  
pp. 540-545 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nacime Salomão Barbachan Mansur ◽  
Tiago Baumfeld ◽  
Fernando Villalon ◽  
Bruno Takeshi Aoyama ◽  
Fabio Teruo Matsunaga ◽  
...  

Background. The usual initial treatment for insertional Achilles tendinopathy is nonsurgical. Yet there is no standard conservative treatment for Achilles insertional tendinopathy. Shockwave therapy (SWT) has become a reliable option for the management of this illness over the past years. The aim of this study is to report the effectiveness of low-energy SWT associated with an eccentric strengthening protocol in 19 consecutive patients. Methods. This is a prospective study with 19 patients aged between 26 and 72 years diagnosed with insertional Achilles tendinopathy. The protocol consisted of SWT associated with eccentric exercises for 12 weeks. All patients were evaluated on the first day and after 24 weeks (final follow-up) with the Victorian Institute of Sports Assessment–Achilles (VISA-A) score, visual analogue scale (VAS), American Orthopaedic Foot and Ankle Society (AOFAS) questionnaire, and by algometry. At the last follow-up, patients were also assessed for adherence to the protocol, complications and final outcome (in their perception as success or fail). Results and Conclusion. Fifteen (79%) patients were fully adherent to the Alfredson protocol, and 13 (68%) patients considered the treatment protocol successful. At the last evaluation, patients demanded higher pressure on calcaneus to trigger pain (algometry 1), reported less pain when the algometer was applied with 3 kg (algometry 2), had less global pain (VAS), and had higher AOFAS and VISA-A scores. This study evidences that eccentric loading associated with SWT can dramatically improve patients’ symptoms. We can conclude that eccentric loading associated with SWT is an effective treatment for Achilles insertional tendinopathy. Levels of Evidence: Therapeutic, Level III: Prospective cohort


Author(s):  
Chul Ki Goorens ◽  
Pascal Wernaers ◽  
Joost Dewaele

AbstractLateral epicondylitis (LE) of the elbow is often treated with conservative methods. Several techniques including injections with different substances are widely performed. No standardization exists. This prospective study describes the results of the short-term follow-up of 56 patients with mean age 48 years (range: 30–68 years) treated with the Instant Tennis Elbow Cure Medical device, which fenestrates the injured tendon in a standardized way through a holder of 12 small needles. Depth and position of the needles are determined beforehand by ultrasonography. Unprepared autologous blood was injected through the holder in the tendon. Visual analog pain scale (VAS) decreased significantly in rest by 61% and during activity by 47% after 6 weeks. VAS decreased significantly in rest by 79% and during activity by 66% after 3 months. VAS did not remain significantly different after 6 months. Satisfaction rates were 71% after 6 weeks and 82% after 6 months. This suggests that the therapeutical effect sustains and in some cases increases over time. Patient Related Tennis Elbow Evaluation score ameliorated after 3 months by 71%. Comparative studies are needed to confirm this effect versus other techniques as physiotherapy, shockwave therapy, and injections with other substances.


Author(s):  
Richard Crevenna ◽  
Michael Mickel ◽  
Othmar Schuhfried ◽  
Christina Gesslbauer ◽  
Andrej Zdravkovic ◽  
...  

Abstract Purpose of Review Focused extracorporeal shockwave therapy (fESWT) is a physical treatment modality developed over the last 25 years for musculoskeletal indications. It has many indications in the field of physical medicine and rehabilitation (PM&R) and is effective, time-efficient, and cost-efficient. This review focuses on basics and on clinical indications as well as on significant trends in fESWT. Recent Findings In PM&R, stimulation of healing processes in tendons, surrounding tissue, and bones via mechanotransduction seems to be a relevant biological effect. The International Society for Medical Shockwave Treatment (ISMST) describes different types of indications (such as approved standard indications—in accordance with most scientific evidence—like calcifying tendinopathy of the shoulder, plantar fasciitis lateral epicondylopathy of the elbow, greater trochanter pain syndrome, patellar tendinopathy, Achilles tendinopathy and bone non-union, common empirically tested clinical uses, exceptional or expert indications, and experimental indications). Summary fESWT is a relevant treatment option in PM&R and regenerative medicine. In recent years, historical paradigms (for example, application in cancer patients) have changed and new indications (such as nerve regeneration, myofascial trapezius syndrome, low back pain, dermatosclerosis, and lymphedema) are supported. Future translational research should focus on establishing actual exceptional indications and experimental indications for clinical routine.


2020 ◽  
Vol 47 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Reem EL-Mallah ◽  
Enas A. Elattar

Abstract Background Achilles tendinopathy (AT) is considered the commonest tendon pathology, occurring mainly in athletes. Different conservative treatment options have been introduced but with short-term effects; however, extracorporeal shockwave therapy (ESWT) and mesotherapy (MT) injections were claimed to provide longer effects and could be used in cases failure of response to conservative treatments. The objective of our prospective 12-week study was to compare the effect of ESWT and MT on chronic Achilles tendinopathy in athletes by both clinical and ultrasonographical assessment. Results Forty patients with chronic AT diagnosed clinically and with high-resolution ultrasound (US) randomly allocated in two groups first received weekly ESWT session, and the other group underwent weekly MT sessions for 4 consecutive weeks. Both groups improved during the treatment and follow-up period. The mean visual analogue score (VAS) decreased in both the ESWT group and the MT group. Mean American Orthopedic Foot and Ankle Society (AOFAS) hindfoot score and VAS scores were not significantly different between ESWT and MT groups at the 4th and the 12th week of follow-up. However, US assessment significantly improved after 12 weeks in the ESWT group (as regards tendon thickness, calcifications, and Doppler signal), and for the mesotherapy group, there was the only improvement of tendon thickness. Conclusion ESWT showed improvement of pain and inflammation and calcifications of AT than MT injections, which was documented by US improved findings at week 12 follow up.


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