Evidence map›Paper›PMID 38650039›Full record

ArticlePilot and feasibility studies2024

Feasibility of an early progressive resistance exercise program for acute Achilles tendon rupture.

Marianne Christensen, Karin Grävare Silbernagel, Jennifer A Zellers, Inge Lunding Kjær, Michael Skovdal Rathleff

Registry-linked trialAbstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Pilot and feasibility studies, 2024. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. It is linked to trial NCT04121377 (Feasibility of an Early Progressive Strength Exercise Programme for Acute Achilles Tendon Rupture), which is not on this map. Cited by 1 paper.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
1citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
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.

NCT04121377 nacompletednot on this map

Feasibility of an Early Progressive Strength Exercise Programme for Acute Achilles Tendon Rupture

TypeinterventionalSponsorAalborg University HospitalRan2019 to 2020Enrolled16ConditionsAchilles Tendon RuptureArmsResistance training
3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

1 citing paper in PubMed.

  1. Article
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

5 authors.

Marianne ChristensenPhysiotherapy and Occupational Therapy, Aalborg University Hospital, Hobrovej 18-22, Aalborg, 9000, Denmark. mc@rn.dk.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0003-3517-8151
Karin Grävare SilbernagelDepartment of Physical Therapy, University of Delaware, Newark, DE, USA.
Jennifer A ZellersProgram in Physical Therapy and Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO, USA.
Inge Lunding KjærDepartment of Orthopaedic Surgery, Aalborg University Hospital, Aalborg, Denmark.
Michael Skovdal RathleffPhysiotherapy and Occupational Therapy, Aalborg University Hospital, Hobrovej 18-22, Aalborg, 9000, Denmark.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundLong-term strength deficits are common after Achilles tendon ruptures. Early use of progressive resistance exercises may help reduce strength deficits, but the feasibility of this approach is unknown. The aim was to investigate the feasibility of early progressive resistance exercises regarding patient acceptability and compliance with the intervention.

methodsWe recruited patients with an acute Achilles tendon rupture treated non-surgically. During 9 weeks of immobilisation with a walking boot, participants attended weekly supervised physiotherapy sessions of progressive resistance exercises and performed home exercises, consisting of isometric ankle plantarflexion, seated heel-rise, and elastic band exercises. Acceptability was evaluated using a 7-point Likert scale (1 = very unacceptable and 7 = very acceptable) with feasibility threshold at 80% of the participants rating ≥ 4. Adherence to the exercises was defined as 80% of the participants performing at least 50% of the home exercises. During the intervention, tendon healing and adverse events were monitored.

resultsSixteen participants (mean age 46 (range 28-61), male/female = 13/3) completed the intervention. Pre-injury Achilles tendon total rupture score was 98 (SD 8). All participants rated the acceptability of the exercises ≥ 5 (moderate acceptable to very acceptable) at 9- and 13-week follow-up and 9/16 rated 7 points (very acceptable). Participants performed 74% (range 4-117) of the total prescribed home exercises and 15/16 performed > 50%. One participant was not compliant with the home exercises due to feeling uncomfortable performing these independently. There were no re-ruptures, but one case of deep venous thrombosis.

conclusionsThe early progressive resistance exercise program for treatment of non-surgically treated Achilles tendon rupture was feasible. Future studies should investigate the efficacy of the progressive intervention.

trial registrationThe study was registered at Clinical Trials (NCT04121377) on 29 September 2019. CLINICALTRIALS: NCT04121377 .

Indexed as

Achilles tendon ruptureEarly functional rehabilitationFeasibilityStrength resistance exercise

Identifiers

PMID38650039
PMCPMC11034137

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Registered trials

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.