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Journal of Bodywork and Movement... Oct 2020Plantar fasciitis (PF) is the most common cause of heel pain. A calf stretching (CS) and a plantar fascia-specific stretching (PFSS) are two stretching techniques... (Meta-Analysis)
Meta-Analysis Review
BACKGROUND
Plantar fasciitis (PF) is the most common cause of heel pain. A calf stretching (CS) and a plantar fascia-specific stretching (PFSS) are two stretching techniques commonly administered by health care providers.
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate the literature on the application of these two stretching techniques in the treatment of PF and investigate their effectiveness and efficacy.
METHOD
A search of PubMed, Web of Sciences, PEDro, CINHAL and Scopus was conducted. Studies that applied stretching as a co-intervention were excluded. The risk of bias was assessed to determine the internal validity of the included trials. The GRADE approach was adopted to determine the overall quality. Pooled analysis was performed to determine the treatment effects of CS and PFSS in terms of the mean difference in the visual analog scale pain score.
RESULTS
Eight articles were found that represented randomized controlled trial and met the inclusion criteria. There was very low-quality evidence that the combined CS and PFSS was less effective in the short term than the other therapies. Comparison between CS and PFSS revealed moderate quality evidence for a larger effect of pain score reduction for PFSS treatment over CS, while very low-quality evidence supported that combined CS and PFSS or CS alone was superior to sham stretching.
CONCLUSION
There was moderate to very low-quality evidence of the effectiveness of stretching for PF. The treatment effect of stretching was large and comparable to other therapies. Future trials of higher quality are needed to clarify findings or to confirm findings.
Topics: Exercise Therapy; Fascia; Fasciitis, Plantar; Foot; Humans; Muscle, Skeletal
PubMed: 33218515
DOI: 10.1016/j.jbmt.2020.06.013 -
Foot and Ankle Surgery : Official... Sep 2014Achilles tendinopathy is a degenerative, not an inflammatory, condition. It is prevalent in athletes involved in running sports. A systematic literature review on... (Review)
Review
Achilles tendinopathy is a degenerative, not an inflammatory, condition. It is prevalent in athletes involved in running sports. A systematic literature review on Achilles tendon tendinopathy has been performed according to the intrinsic (age, sex, body weight, tendon temperature, systemic diseases, muscle strength, flexibility, previous injuries and anatomical variants, genetic predisposition and blood supply) and extrinsic risk factors (drugs and overuse), which can cause tendon suffering and degeneration. Different theories have been found: Neurogenic, Angiogenic, Impingement and "Iceberg" Hypotheses. Multiple databases were utilized for articles published between 1964 and 2013. The different hypothesis were analyzed, differently considering those concerning the pathogenesis of tendinopathy and those concerning the etiology of complaints in patients. This review of the literature demonstrates the heterogeneity of Achilles tendinopathy pathogenesis. Various risk factors have been identified and have shown an interaction between them such as genes, age, circulating and local cytokine production, sex, biomechanics and body composition.
Topics: Achilles Tendon; Humans; Risk Factors; Tendinopathy
PubMed: 25103700
DOI: 10.1016/j.fas.2014.02.010 -
Journal of Orthopaedic Surgery and... Mar 2021Insertional Achilles tendinopathy is difficult to manage, and there is no definite consensus on which nonoperative treatment is superior over the others. We aim to...
BACKGROUND
Insertional Achilles tendinopathy is difficult to manage, and there is no definite consensus on which nonoperative treatment is superior over the others. We aim to provide a clear summary of the best available evidence for nonoperative treatment specific to insertional Achilles tendinopathy.
METHODS
Literatures were searched in PubMed, Embase, and Web of Science databases from inception to October 2020. The results were evaluated independently by two reviewers and assessed against the inclusion/exclusion criteria. All included articles were assessed for methodological quality, and study characteristics were extracted.
RESULTS
Twenty-three studies (containing 35 groups) were eligible for the final review. The treatments included eccentric training, extracorporeal shockwave therapy (ESWT), injections, and combined treatment. Visual analog scale (VAS), Victorian Institute of Sport Assessment-Achilles questionnaire, AOFAS, satisfaction rate, and other scales were used to assess the clinical outcome.
CONCLUSION
Current evidence for nonoperative treatment specific for insertional Achilles tendinopathy favors ESWT or the combined treatment of ESWT plus eccentric exercises.
Topics: Achilles Tendon; Combined Modality Therapy; Conservative Treatment; Exercise Therapy; Extracorporeal Shockwave Therapy; Female; Humans; Male; Outcome Assessment, Health Care; Tendinopathy; Treatment Outcome
PubMed: 33785026
DOI: 10.1186/s13018-021-02370-0 -
Scandinavian Journal of Medicine &... Feb 2023The Achilles tendon (AT) can be exposed to considerable stress during athletic activities and is often subject to pathologies such as tendinopathies. When designing a... (Review)
Review
The Achilles tendon (AT) can be exposed to considerable stress during athletic activities and is often subject to pathologies such as tendinopathies. When designing a prevention or rehabilitation protocol, mechanical loading is a key factor to consider. This implies being able to accurately determine the load applied to the AT when performing exercises that stress this tendon. A systematic review was performed to synthesize the load borne by the AT during exercises/activities. Three databases (Pubmed, Embase and Cochrane) were searched for articles up to May 2021, and only the studies assessing the AT load in newtons relative to body-weight (BW) on humans during activities or exercises were included. Most of the 11 included studies assessed AT load when running or walking (N = 10), and only three tested exercises were usually performed during rehabilitation. The load on the tendon ranged from 2.7 to 3.95 BW when walking, from 4.15 to 7.71 BW when running, and from 0.41 to 7.3 BW according to the strengthening exercise performed. From the collected data, a progression of exercises progressively loading the Achilles tendon, as well as the possible connections with walking and running activities, could be defined. However, the trends highlighted in the relationship between tendon loading and walking or running speeds present some inconsistencies. Further research is still needed to clarify them, but also to complete the data set in healthy and injured people.
Topics: Humans; Achilles Tendon; Exercise; Walking; Running; Exercise Therapy
PubMed: 36278501
DOI: 10.1111/sms.14242 -
European Journal of Clinical... Oct 2019Tendinopathy is a known adverse reaction associated to fluoroquinolones, but a meta-analysis was not yet published. The aim of this study was to conduct a systematic... (Meta-Analysis)
Meta-Analysis
PURPOSE
Tendinopathy is a known adverse reaction associated to fluoroquinolones, but a meta-analysis was not yet published. The aim of this study was to conduct a systematic review and a meta-analysis of the scientific evidence evaluating the risk of tendon injury associated with fluoroquinolones.
METHODS
A literature search was conducted to identify observational studies which reported results on the risk of Achilles tendon rupture (ATR), risk of Achilles tendinitis (AT), or risk of any tendon disorders (ATD). A meta-analysis was performed by pooling odds ratios (ORs) with their 95% confidence intervals (CIs).
RESULTS
Fifteen studies were included in the meta-analysis. Treatment with fluoroquinolones was associated with an increased risk of ATR (OR 2.52 (95% CI 1.81-3.52), p < 0.001, I = 76.7%), an increased risk of AT (OR 3.95 (95% CI 3.11-5.01), p < 0.001, I = 0%), and increased risk of ATD (OR 1.98 (95% CI 1.62-2.43), p < 0.001, I = 84.5%). The initial risk estimates remained statistically significant among patients aged ≥ 60 years old. Risk estimates did not significantly change after depending on the concomitant use of corticosteroids or studies methodological quality assessment. The analysis according to the type of fluoroquinolones was only possible for ATR, which were ofloxacin and norfloxacin were found to increase the risk of this outcome, but not ciprofloxacin and levofloxacin.
CONCLUSIONS
The results of this meta-analysis confirm the risk of tendon injuries associated with fluoroquinolones. Older age and concomitant use of corticosteroids seem to be additional risk factors for tendinopathy.
Topics: Fluoroquinolones; Humans; Observational Studies as Topic; Risk Factors; Tendon Injuries
PubMed: 31270563
DOI: 10.1007/s00228-019-02713-1 -
Orthopaedic Journal of Sports Medicine Nov 2019Early functional rehabilitation is frequently discussed in treating Achilles tendon rupture. A consistent definition of what constitutes early functional rehabilitation... (Review)
Review
BACKGROUND
Early functional rehabilitation is frequently discussed in treating Achilles tendon rupture. A consistent definition of what constitutes early functional rehabilitation has not been established across the literature, despite studies supporting its efficacy. A standardized definition would be helpful to pool data across studies, allow for between-study comparisons, and ultimately work toward developing clinical guidelines.
PURPOSE
To define early functional rehabilitation (including when it is initiated and what it entails) when used to treat Achilles tendon rupture and to identify outcome measures for evaluating the effect of treatment.
STUDY DESIGN
Systematic review; Level of evidence, 4.
METHODS
Ovid MEDLINE, EMBASE, PEDro, CINAHL, and Cochrane databases were searched for relevant studies. Eligibility criteria for selecting studies consisted of randomized controlled trials, cohort studies, and case series (≥10 participants) including weightbearing or exercise-based interventions within 8 weeks after Achilles tendon rupture.
RESULTS
A total of 174 studies published between 1979 and 2018 were included. Studies were rated a median (interquartile range [IQR]) of 17 (15-20) on the Downs & Black checklist and included 9098 participants. Early functional rehabilitation incorporated weightbearing (95%), range of motion (73%), and isometric/strengthening exercises (50%). Weightbearing was initiated within the first week, whereas exercise (eg, ankle range of motion, strengthening, whole-body conditioning) was initiated in the second week. Initiation of exercises varied based on whether treatment was nonsurgical (mean, 3.0 weeks; IQR, 2.0-4.0 weeks) or simple (mean, 2.0 weeks; IQR, 0.0-2.3 weeks) or augmented surgical repair (mean, 0.5 weeks; IQR, 0.0-2.8 weeks) ( = .017). Functional outcomes including ankle range of motion (n = 84) and strength (n = 76) were reported in 130 studies. Other outcome domains included patient-reported outcomes (n = 89), survey-based functional outcomes (n = 50), and tendon properties (n = 53).
CONCLUSION
Early functional rehabilitation includes weightbearing and a variety of exercise-based interventions initiated within the first 2 weeks after acute Achilles tendon rupture/repair. Because early functional rehabilitation has lacked a standardized definition, interventions and outcome measures are highly variable, and pooling data across studies should be done with attention paid to what was included in the intervention and how treatment was assessed.
PubMed: 31803789
DOI: 10.1177/2325967119884071 -
BMC Musculoskeletal Disorders Feb 2023The incidence of Achilles tendinopathy has risen over the past decades. Insertional Achilles tendinopathy is characterised by tissue degeneration of the Achilles tendon... (Meta-Analysis)
Meta-Analysis
BACKGROUND
The incidence of Achilles tendinopathy has risen over the past decades. Insertional Achilles tendinopathy is characterised by tissue degeneration of the Achilles tendon from its insertion in the calcaneus to up to 2 cm proximally. This clinical condition is accompanied by pain, loss of function and diminished exercise tolerance. Numerous conservative treatment modalities are available to participants with insertional Achilles tendinopathy, including eccentric exercises, extracorporeal shockwave therapy, laser therapy, cryotherapy, therapeutic ultrasound, and orthotics. Eccentric exercise and extracorporeal shockwave therapy may reduce pain in participants with non-calcified insertional Achilles tendinopathy. However, no specific treatment is recommended over another due to the low methodological quality of trials. Given the lack of standard or preferred non-surgical treatment and the potential risks of surgical treatment, there is an imminent need to reassess different non-surgical treatments based on the newest evidence. Thus, this systematic review aims to evaluate the clinical effectiveness of the various non-surgical treatments for insertional Achilles tendinopathy.
METHODS
AMED EBSCOhost, CINAHL, EBSCOhost, EMBASE, PEDro, PubMed, Web of Science, and Clinicaltrials.gov were searched from 1992 to 14th October 2022, randomised controlled trials of adults with insertional Achilles tendinopathy investigating non-surgical treatments compared with each other or no treatment, placebo/sham control. Two reviewers independently screened and extracted the data. Random effects of network meta-analysis immediately after treatments were used to report comparative treatment effects. The surface under the cumulative ranking probabilities was calculated to assess the relative ranking of treatments.
RESULTS
Nine trials (total n = 464 participants) were included. This review recommended the combination of eccentric exercise and soft tissue therapy to manage insertional Achilles tendinopathy. With the highest SUCRA values of 84.8, and the best mean rank of 1.9, Eccentric exercise plus soft tissue treatment ranked as the most effective treatment for short-term pain.
CONCLUSIONS
This is the first NMA of non-surgical treatment focusing on short-term pain control for IAT which eccentric exercise plus soft-tissue therapy was found to be the most effective treatment combination. However, the overall confidence in non-surgical treatments from all included trials was very low. No recommendation of the best treatment option can be made from this review.
Topics: Adult; Humans; Achilles Tendon; Network Meta-Analysis; Tendinopathy; Exercise Therapy; Pain; Treatment Outcome; Musculoskeletal Diseases
PubMed: 36750789
DOI: 10.1186/s12891-023-06170-x -
The Journal of Foot and Ankle Surgery :... 2017Acute Achilles tendon ruptures can be treated with surgical and nonsurgical treatment. However, the optimal intervention for acute Achilles tendon rupture remains... (Comparative Study)
Comparative Study Meta-Analysis Review
Acute Achilles tendon ruptures can be treated with surgical and nonsurgical treatment. However, the optimal intervention for acute Achilles tendon rupture remains controversial. The aim of the present study was to compare the clinical outcomes of surgical treatment versus conservative management for acute Achilles tendon rupture. Eight randomized controlled studies involving 762 patients were included in the meta-analysis. In general, re-rupture occurred in 14 of 381 surgically treated patients (3.7%) and 37 of 377 nonsurgically treated patients (9.8%). Pooled results showed that the total re-rupture rate was significantly lower in surgical group than that in the nonsurgical group (risk ratio 0.38, 95% confidence interval 0.21 to 0.68; p = .001). No significant differences were found between the 2 treatment groups in the incidence of deep venous thrombosis, the number who returned to sport, ankle range of motion (dorsiflexion, plantarflexion), Achilles tendon total rupture score, or physical activity scale. Surgical treatment can effectively reduce the re-rupture rate and might be a better choice for the treatment of acute Achilles tendon rupture. Multicenter, double-blind randomized controlled trials with stratification and long-term follow-up are needed to obtain a higher level of evidence and to guide clinical practice, especially in the comparison and selection of different treatments.
Topics: Achilles Tendon; Conservative Treatment; Female; Humans; Male; Orthopedic Procedures; Postoperative Complications; Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic; Range of Motion, Articular; Recovery of Function; Recurrence; Rupture; Tendon Injuries; Treatment Outcome
PubMed: 29079238
DOI: 10.1053/j.jfas.2017.05.036 -
Sports Health 2021Distance running is one of the most popular physical activities, and running-related injuries (RRIs) are also common. Foot strike patterns have been suggested to affect... (Meta-Analysis)
Meta-Analysis
CONTENT
Distance running is one of the most popular physical activities, and running-related injuries (RRIs) are also common. Foot strike patterns have been suggested to affect biomechanical variables related to RRI risks.
OBJECTIVE
To determine the effects of foot strike techniques on running biomechanics.
DATA SOURCES
The databases of Web of Science, PubMed, EMBASE, and EBSCO were searched from database inception through November 2018.
STUDY SELECTION
The initial electronic search found 723 studies. Of these, 26 studies with a total of 472 participants were eligible for inclusion in this meta-analysis.
STUDY DESIGN
Systematic review and meta-analysis.
LEVEL OF EVIDENCE
Level 4.
DATA EXTRACTION
Means, standard deviations, and sample sizes were extracted from the eligible studies, and the standard mean differences (SMDs) were obtained for biomechanical variables between forefoot strike (FFS) and rearfoot strike (RFS) groups using a random-effects model.
RESULTS
FFS showed significantly smaller magnitude (SMD, -1.84; 95% CI, -2.29 to -1.38; < 0.001) and loading rate (mean: SMD, -2.1; 95% CI, -3.18 to -1.01; < 0.001; peak: SMD, -1.77; 95% CI, -2.21 to -1.33; < 0.001) of impact force, ankle stiffness (SMD, -1.69; 95% CI, -2.46 to -0.92; < 0.001), knee extension moment (SMD, -0.64; 95% CI, -0.98 to -0.3; < 0.001), knee eccentric power (SMD, -2.03; 95% CI, -2.51 to -1.54; < 0.001), knee negative work (SMD, -1.56; 95% CI, -2.11 to -1.00; < 0.001), and patellofemoral joint stress (peak: SMD, -0.71; 95% CI, -1.28 to -0.14; = 0.01; integral: SMD, -0.63; 95% CI, -1.11 to -0.15; = 0.01) compared with RFS. However, FFS significantly increased ankle plantarflexion moment (SMD, 1.31; 95% CI, 0.66 to 1.96; < 0.001), eccentric power (SMD, 1.63; 95% CI, 1.18 to 2.08; < 0.001), negative work (SMD, 2.60; 95% CI, 1.02 to 4.18; = 0.001), and axial contact force (SMD, 1.26; 95% CI, 0.93 to 1.6; < 0.001) compared with RFS.
CONCLUSION
Running with RFS imposed higher biomechanical loads on overall ground impact and knee and patellofemoral joints, whereas FFS imposed higher biomechanical loads on the ankle joint and Achilles tendon. The modification of strike techniques may affect the specific biomechanical loads experienced on relevant structures or tissues during running.
Topics: Achilles Tendon; Ankle; Biomechanical Phenomena; Foot; Gait Analysis; Humans; Knee; Risk Factors; Running; Stress, Mechanical
PubMed: 32813597
DOI: 10.1177/1941738120934715 -
The American Journal of Sports Medicine Apr 2015The choice of rehabilitation management after the surgical repair of acute Achilles tendon (AT) ruptures remains controversial because of insufficient clinical evidence.... (Meta-Analysis)
Meta-Analysis Review
BACKGROUND
The choice of rehabilitation management after the surgical repair of acute Achilles tendon (AT) ruptures remains controversial because of insufficient clinical evidence. The current study analyzes the postoperative rehabilitation of AT ruptures based on the current clinical evidence.
PURPOSE
To identify and analyze the high-level clinical evidence regarding postoperative rehabilitation after the surgical repair of AT ruptures. Subgroup analyses were also performed to obtain more reliable and specific results.
STUDY DESIGN
Meta-analysis.
METHODS
The studies were retrieved by searching the Medline, Embase, and Cochrane databases through the OVID retrieval engine from 1990 to August 14, 2013. Two independent reviewers critically reviewed the studies using preset inclusion and exclusion criteria. The quality of the eligible studies was assessed by the Cochrane 12-item scale. All included studies were summarized, and their data were extracted. Subgroup analyses were performed according to the different protocols of early functional rehabilitation.
RESULTS
Nine studies, consisting of 6 randomized controlled trials and 3 quasi-randomized studies, were ultimately included. A total of 402 patients were identified. Six of the included studies utilized early weightbearing combined with early ankle motion exercises, while the other 3 only employed early ankle motion exercises. The subgroup analyses demonstrated that 11 of the 15 functional outcome measurements were significantly superior for patients who underwent both early weightbearing and ankle motion exercises than for those who underwent conventional cast immobilization. Similar rates of reruptures (odds ratio [OR], 1.36; 95% CI, 0.38-4.91; P = .64) and major complications (OR, 0.67; 95% CI, 0.24-1.87; P = .44) as well as a significantly lower rate of minor complications (OR, 0.51; 95% CI, 0.27-0.95; P = .03) were also observed in this early functional rehabilitation group. For the patients who solely performed early ankle motion exercises, only 2 of the 14 functional measurements were observed to be significantly superior to immobilization. There were also no significant differences in the rates of reruptures (OR, 0.47; 95% CI, 0.08-2.70; P = .40) and other complications (OR, 1.09; 95% CI, 0.41-2.92; P = .86) between the 2 groups.
CONCLUSION
Postoperative early weightbearing combined with early ankle motion exercises is associated with a lower minor complication rate and achieves superior and more rapid functional recovery than conventional immobilization after surgical AT repair. In contrast, few advantages were identified when only early ankle motion exercises were applied.
Topics: Achilles Tendon; Exercise Therapy; Humans; Immobilization; Physical Therapy Modalities; Postoperative Period; Recovery of Function; Rupture; Tendon Injuries; Weight-Bearing
PubMed: 24793572
DOI: 10.1177/0363546514531014