ArticleBMJ military health2024
Poor association between tendon structure and self-reported symptoms following conservative management in active soldiers with mid-portion Achilles tendinopathy.
Article in BMJ military health, 2024. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 3 papers.
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Who cites it
3 citing papers in PubMed, 5 citations in OpenAlex.
- No short-term changes in tendon structure following temporary replacement of running with low-impact exercises in service members with midportion Achilles tendinopathy: a prospective cohort study.BMJ military health · 2026Article
- Prognostic value of ultrasound tissue characterisation for a recurrence of mid-portion Achilles tendinopathy in military service members: a prospective cohort study.BMJ military health · 2025Article
- Victorian Institute of Sport Assessment-Achilles thresholds for minimal important change and return to presymptom activity level in active soldiers with mid-portion Achilles tendinopathy.BMJ military health · 2024Article
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Authors and funding
6 authors at 4 institutions in 1 country.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
introductionMid-portion Achilles tendinopathy (mid-AT) is currently the preferred term for persistent Achilles tendon pain, defined as located 2-7 cm proximal to the calcaneus, and with loss of function related to mechanical loading. Histologically, mid-AT is considered to represent a degenerative condition. Therefore, monitoring of tendon structure additional to pain and function may be warranted, to prevent progression of degeneration or even tendon rupture. The aim of this study was to determine the association between pain and function, relative to the Achilles tendon structure, in soldiers treated with a conservative programme for mid-AT.
methodsA total of 40 soldiers (40 unilateral symptomatic tendons) were included in this study. Pain and function were evaluated with the Victorian Institute of Sports Assessment -Achilles (VISA-A) questionnaire. Tendon structure was quantified using ultrasound tissue characterisation (UTC). We quantified both the Achilles tendon mid-portion (2-7 cm) and the area of maximum degeneration (AoMD) within the tendon mid-portion. VISA-A and UTC measurements were taken at baseline and after 26 weeks of follow-up. Spearman's rho was used to determine the correlation between VISA-A and UTC. Correlations were calculated for baseline, follow-up and change score values.
resultsNegligible correlations were found for all analyses, ranging from -0.173 to 0.166 between mid-portion tendon structure and VISA-A, and from -0.137 to 0.150 between AoMD and VISA-A. While VISA-A scores improved, on average, from 59.4 points at baseline to 93.5 points at follow-up, no detectable improvement in aligned fibrillar structure was observed in our population.
conclusionPain and function are poorly associated with Achilles tendon structure in soldiers treated with a conservative programme for mid-AT. Therefore, we advise clinicians to use great caution in communicating relationships between both clinical entities. TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER: NL69527.028.19.
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