Arthroscopy: The Journal of Arthroscopic & Related Surgery
Overuse tendon conditions: Time to change a confusing terminology
Abstract
In overuse clinical conditions in and around tendons, frank inflammation is infrequent, and is associated mostly with tendon ruptures. Tendinosis implies tendon degeneration without clinical or histological signs of intratendinous inflammation, and is not necessarily symptomatic. Patients undergoing an operation for Achilles tendinopathy show similar areas of degeneration. When the term tendinitis is used in a clinical context, it does not refer to a specific histopathological entity. However, tendinitis is commonly used for conditions that are truly tendinoses, and this leads athletes and coaches to underestimate the proven chronicity of the condition. Paratenonitis is characterized by acute edema and hypermia of the paratenon, with infiltration of inflammatory cells, possibly with production of a fibrinous exudate that fills the tendon sheath, causing the typical crepitus that can be felt on clinical examination. The term partial tear of a tendon should describe a macroscopically evident subcutaneous partial tear of a tendon, an uncommon acute lesion. Most articles describing the surgical treatment of 'partial tears' of a given tendon in reality deal with degenerative tendinopathies. The combination of pain, swelling, and impaired performance should be labeled tendinopathy. According to the tissues affected, the terms tendinopathy, paratendinopathy, or pantendinopathy should be used. (Arthroscopy 1998 Nov-Dec;14(8):840-3.)
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Epidemiology of insertional and midportion Achilles tendinopathy in runners: A prospective cohort study
2024, Journal of Sport and Health ScienceAchilles tendinopathy (AT) is a common problem among runners. There is only limited evidence for risk factors for AT, and most studies have not defined the AT subcategories. No study has compared the incidence and risk factors between insertional AT and midportion AT, though they are considered distinct. This study aimed to assess incidence and risk factors of AT based on data from a large prospective cohort. The secondary aim was to explore differences in risk factors between insertional and midportion AT.
Participants were recruited from among registered runners at registration for running events. Questionnaires were completed at baseline, 1 month before the event, 1 week before the event, and 1 month after the event. Information concerning demographics, training load, registered events, and running-related injuries were collected at baseline. The follow-up questionnaires collected information about new injuries. A pain map was used to diagnose midportion and insertional AT. The primary outcome was the incidence of AT. Multivariable logistic regression analysis was applied to identify risk factors for the onset.
We included 3379 participants with a mean follow-up of 20.4 weeks. The incidence of AT was 4.2%. The proportion of insertional AT was 27.7% and of midportion AT was 63.8%; the remaining proportion was a combined type of insertional and midportion AT. Men had a significantly higher incidence (5%, 95% confidence interval (95%CI): 4.1%–6.0%) than women (2.8%, 95%CI: 2.0%–3.8%). AT in the past 12 months was the most predominant risk factor for new-onset AT (odds ratio (OR) = 6.47, 95%CI: 4.27 –9.81). This was similar for both subcategories of AT (insertional: OR = 5.45, 95%CI: 2.51–11.81; midportion: OR = 6.96, 95%CI: 4.24–11.40). Participants registering for an event with a distance of 10/10.55 km were less likely to develop a new-onset AT (OR = 0.59, 95%CI: 0.36–0.97) or midportion AT (OR = 0.47, 95%CI: 0.23 –0.93). Higher age had a significant negative association with insertional AT (OR = 0.97, 95%CI: 0.94–1.00).
The incidence of new-onset AT among recreational runners was 4.2%. The proportion of insertional and midportion AT was 27.7% and 63.8%, respectively. AT in the past 12 months was the predominant risk factor for the onset of AT. Risk factors varied between insertional and midportion AT, but we could not identify clinically relevant differences between the 2 subtypes.
Transdermal carbon monoxide delivery
2023, Journal of Controlled ReleaseOveruse injuries or acute trauma in joints often lead to painful tendinopathy, and pharmacological treatment effects are limited. The site of the disease is hard to reach with drugs, both systemically and through the skin. Therapeutic gases may close this gap, as they permeate easier through tissues than conventional small molecules. We present a patch device releasing the anti-inflammatory gas carbon monoxide (CO) through the skin to the subcutaneous tendons and tissues. CO is chemically generated upon device activation and its design maximizes CO exposure to the underlying skin and protects the patient from all side and degradation products. The patch delivered CO successfully through the intact skin, granting lasting, subcutaneous CO exposure for up to 16 h. Furthermore, the released CO induced the proliferation of fibroblasts and the polarization of monocytes into anti-inflammatory M2 macrophages. In conclusion, the CO-releasing device might open an entirely new treatment option against tendinopathies in case of a positive outcome of future in vivo studies.
Imaging of Overuse Injuries of the Ankle and Foot in Sport and Work
2023, Radiologic Clinics of North AmericaEndoscopic debridement for non-insertional Achilles tendinopathy with and without platelet-rich plasma
2023, Journal of Sport and Health ScienceWhen non-operative management fails to improve symptoms in patients with non-insertional Achilles tendinopathy, surgery may be required. Various open and endoscopic techniques have been proposed, and platelet-rich plasma (PRP) injections have been proposed as an adjunct to aid tendon healing.
Thirty-six patients with mid-portion Achilles tendinopathy were randomized to undergo endoscopic debridement alone (n = 19) or in combination with intraoperative PRP application (n = 17). Clinical outcome measures included the Visual Analogue Scale for pain, function, and satisfaction and the Victorian Institute of Sports Assessment–Achilles (VISA-A) questionnaire. Patients were followed-up at 6 weeks, 3 months, 6 months, and 12 months after surgery. An MRI examination at 3 and 12 months was used to assess signal alterations within the tendon.
Both groups showed significant clinical improvement (p < 0.05) after surgery, with no difference between the 2 groups. Tendon diameter increased at 3 months and decreased at 12 months. The tendinopathy area increased at 3 months and decreased at 12 months below baseline level in both groups. There was no significant difference between the groups regarding the MRI parameters. Nodular thickening and MRI-detected signal alteration persisted after surgery, with no association between imaging and clinical outcome. Five minor complications were reported: 2 in the PRP group and 3 in the control group.
Endoscopic debridement of the Achilles tendon improved clinical outcomes in patients with mid-portion tendinopathy. The addition of PRP did not improve outcomes compared to debridement alone. MRI parameters showed no association with clinical outcomes.
Analysis of pain intensity and postural control for assessing the efficacy of shock wave therapy and sonotherapy in Achilles tendinopathy – A randomized controlled trial
2023, Clinical BiomechanicsThe troublesome symptoms of Achilles tendinopathy prompt patients to seek effective forms of conservative treatment. The main aim of the study was to determine the therapeutic efficacy of shock wave and ultrasound therapies for Achilles tendinopathy in reducing pain intensity. Treatment efficacy was also assessed using objective posturographic measurements.
Thirty-nine patients patients were randomly allocated to one of three experimental groups that received shock wave therapy (group A), ultrasound therapy (group B) and placebo ultrasound (group C). Posturographic measurements and subjective assessment of pain intensity were taken prior to therapy and at weeks 1 and 6 of therapy completion.
A comparison of percentage change in activity-related pain from baseline to 6 weeks post-therapy revealed a significantly greater pain reduction in group A compared to group B. The three-way ANOVA demonstated an effect of treatment type on all posturographic variables. The Bonferroni post-hoc test showed the means of all variables were significantly smaller for group A than group B. Limb condition also had an effect on the center-of-pressure trajectories in anteroposterior plane; the post-hoc test showed the mean values of the variables were significantly greater for the non-affected compared to affected limb.
Shock wave therapy was significantly more effective than sonotherapy for alleviation of activity-related pain of Achilles tendinopathy. An association was also shown between shock wave therapy and more efficient postural control in patients with Achilles tendinopathy. The parameters of center-of-pressure trajectories in the sagittal plane were significantly greater for the non-affected compared to affected limb.
The trial was prospectively registered in the Australian and New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry (no. ACTRN12617000860369; registration date: 9.06.2017).
Current understanding of the diagnosis and management of the tendinopathy: An update from the lab to the clinical practice
2022, Disease-a-MonthTendinopathy is labeled by many authors as a troublesome, common pathology, present in up to 30% medical care consultations involving musculoskeletal conditions. Despite the lasting interest for addressing tendon pathology, current researchers agree that even the exact definition of the term tendinopathy is unclear. Tendinopathy is currently diagnosed as a clinical hypothesis based on the patient symptoms and physical context. One of the main goals of current clinical management is to personalize treatment approaches to adapt them to the many different needs of the population.
Tendons are complex structures that unite muscles and bones with two main objectives: to transmit forces and storage and release energy. Regarding the tensile properties of the tendons, several authors argued that tendons have higher tensile strength compared with muscles, however, are considered less flexible.
Tendinopathy is an accepted term which is used to indicated a variety of tissue conditions that appear in injured tendons and describes a non-rupture damage in the tendon or paratendon, which is intensified with mechanical loading Even when the pathoetiology of tendinopathy is unclear, there is a wide array of treatments available to treat and manage tendinopathy. Although tendinitis usually debuts with an inflammatory response, the majority of chronic tendinopathies do not present inflammation and so the choosing of treatment should vary depending on severity, compliance, pain and duration of symptoms.
The purpose of this article is to review and provide an overview about the currently research of the tendon diagnosis, management and etiology.