ArticlePeerJ2021
The clinical diagnosis of Achilles tendinopathy: a scoping review.
Article in PeerJ, 2021. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 12 papers.
What it found
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Who cites it
12 citing papers in PubMed, 27 citations in OpenAlex.
- Effects of an exercise program on calf muscle characteristics in patients with Achilles tendinopathy.Physical therapy in sport : official journal of the Association of Chartered Physiotherapists in Sports Medicine · 2025Observational
- Engineered decellularized tendon hydrogel with sustained zinc ion release orchestrates anti-inflammatory microenvironment and functional regeneration in Achilles tendinopathy.Materials today. Bio · 2025Article
- Current Concepts in the Nonoperative Management of Achilles Tendon Pathologies: A Scoping Review.Journal of clinical medicine · 2025Review
- Achilles tendinopathy.Nature reviews. Disease primers · 2025Review
- Phenotype of Achilles Tendon Ultrasonographic Abnormalities and Their Relationship to Future Time-Loss Injury.Clinical journal of sport medicine : official journal of the Canadian Academy of Sport Medicine · 2025Observational
- Ultrasound as a predictor of time-loss injury for the patellar tendon, Achilles tendon and plantar fascia in division I collegiate athletes.British journal of sports medicine · 2025Observational
- Ultrasound Screening of Achilles Tendon, Patellar Tendon, and Plantar Fascia for Pain Development in Collegiate Athletes: A Multi-institutional Prospective Evaluation.Orthopaedic journal of sports medicine · 2024Article
- Effectiveness of Kinesiotherapy in the Treatment of Achilles Tendinopathy-A Narrative Review.Sports (Basel, Switzerland) · 2024Review
- Comparability of the Effectiveness of Different Types of Exercise in the Treatment of Achilles Tendinopathy: A Systematic Review.Healthcare (Basel, Switzerland) · 2023Review
- Smart Chemical Sensor and Biosensor Networks for Healthcare 4.0.Sensors (Basel, Switzerland) · 2023Article
- Current and future advances in practice: mechanical foot pain.Rheumatology advances in practice · 2023Review
- An Isometric and Functionally Based 4-Stage Progressive Loading Program in Achilles Tendinopathy: A 12-Month Pilot Study.Translational sports medicine · 2022Article
Corrections and comments
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Authors and funding
4 authors at 2 institutions in 2 countries.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
backgroundAchilles tendinopathy describes the clinical presentation of pain localised to the Achilles tendon and associated loss of function with tendon loading activities. However, clinicians display differing approaches to the diagnosis of Achilles tendinopathy due to inconsistency in the clinical terminology, an evolving understanding of the pathophysiology, and the lack of consensus on clinical tests which could be considered the gold standard for diagnosing Achilles tendinopathy. The primary aim of this scoping review is to provide a method for clinically diagnosing Achilles tendinopathy that aligns with the nine core health domains. METHODOLOGY: A scoping review was conducted to synthesise available evidence on the clinical diagnosis and clinical outcome measures of Achilles tendinopathy. Extracted data included author, year of publication, participant characteristics, methods for diagnosing Achilles tendinopathy and outcome measures.
resultsA total of 159 articles were included in this scoping review. The most commonly used subjective measure was self-reported location of pain, while additional measures included pain with tendon loading activity, duration of symptoms and tendon stiffness. The most commonly identified objective clinical test for Achilles tendinopathy was tendon palpation (including pain on palpation, localised tendon thickening or localised swelling). Further objective tests used to assess Achilles tendinopathy included tendon pain during loading activities (single-leg heel raises and hopping) and the Royal London Hospital Test and the Painful Arc Sign. The VISA-A questionnaire as the most commonly used outcome measure to monitor Achilles tendinopathy. However, psychological factors (PES, TKS and PCS) and overall quality of life (SF-12, SF-36 and EQ-5D-5L) were less frequently measured.
conclusionsThere is significant variation in the methodology and outcome measures used to diagnose Achilles tendinopathy. A method for diagnosing Achilles tendinopathy is proposed, that includes both results from the scoping review and recent recommendations for reporting results in tendinopathy.
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