Evidence map›Paper›PMID 30915381›Full record

ArticleOrthopaedic journal of sports medicine2019

Using Pressure Massage for Achilles Tendinopathy: A Single-Blind, Randomized Controlled Trial Comparing a Novel Treatment Versus an Eccentric Exercise Protocol.

Stefan H Stefansson, Sveinbjörn Brandsson, Henning Langberg, Arni Arnason

Open access · goldAbstract read
PubMed Full text at PMC Publisher
In one paragraph

Article in Orthopaedic journal of sports medicine, 2019. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 13 papers, 4 of them syntheses that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
13citing papers in PubMed, 4 pooled it
3.9field-weighted citation impact, top 7% of its field
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

13 citing papers in PubMed, 4 syntheses or guidelines pooled it, 35 citations in OpenAlex.

  1. Pooled it
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  9. Fluoroquinolone-induced Achilles tendinitis: a case report.The Journal of the Canadian Chiropractic Association · 2024
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4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

4 authors at 3 institutions in 2 countries.

Stefan H StefanssonThe Research Centre of Movement Science, Department of Physical Therapy, University of Iceland, Reykjavik, Iceland.
Sveinbjörn BrandssonPhysical Therapy and Medical Centre, Orkuhusid, Reykjavik, Iceland.
Henning LangbergCopenRehab, Institute of Public Health, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark.
Arni ArnasonThe Research Centre of Movement Science, Department of Physical Therapy, University of Iceland, Reykjavik, Iceland.
University of Iceland · ISReykjavík Energy (Iceland) · ISUniversity of Copenhagen · DK

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundEccentric exercises are the only conservative treatment that has shown good clinical results in studies of Achilles tendinopathy (AT), but success rates vary, indicating the need for alternative treatments. Soft tissue treatments are widely used for AT, but strong scientific evidence is lacking to support those treatments. PURPOSE/HYPOTHESES: This study aimed to determine whether pressure massage to the calf muscles is a useful treatment for AT and to compare this treatment versus an eccentric exercise protocol. Our first hypothesis was that pressure massage treatment is equivalent or superior to eccentric exercises with regard to pain reduction time (ie, pain would be reduced more quickly with pressure massage). The second hypothesis was that pressure massage is equivalent or superior to eccentric exercises with regard to function of the calf muscles. STUDY

designRandomized controlled trial; Level of evidence, 1.

methodsA total of 60 patients with AT were randomized into 3 groups: group 1 underwent an eccentric exercise protocol, group 2 underwent pressure massage, and group 3 underwent pressure massage and the eccentric exercise protocol. Patients were evaluated with the Icelandic version of the Victorian Institute of Sports Assessment-Achilles questionnaire (VISA-A-IS), an algometer to test the pressure pain threshold (PPT) of the Achilles tendon, tests for ankle range of motion (ROM), and real-time ultrasonographic (US) scanning of tendon thickness and degree of neovascularization. Measurements for VISA-A-IS, PPT, and ROM were taken at 0, 4, 8, 12, and 24 weeks. US scan measurements were taken at 0, 12, and 24 weeks. Mixed-model analysis of variance was used for statistical analysis.

resultsAll groups improved when evaluated with VISA-A-IS scores (

conclusionPressure massage is a useful treatment for Achilles tendinopathy. Compared with eccentric exercise treatment, pressure massage gives similar results. Combining the treatments did not improve the outcome.

Indexed as

Achilles tendinopathyeccentric exercisesmassagepressure massagepressure painrange of motiontendonVISA-A

Identifiers

PMID30915381
PMCPMC6429908
OpenAlexW2924672458

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY-NC-ND
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.