Table 2:
Results of randomized controlled trials of treatment for chronic Achilles tendinopathy included in the review
| Intervention | Impression of efficacy | Study | Oxford score13 | Study participants (study details) | Outcome measures | Cohen’s effect size |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Exercise | Effective | Mafi et al.15 | 3 | F = 20, M = 24 | Visual analogue scale | Could not be calculated |
| Silbernagel et al.16 | 1 | F = 13, M = 36 | Pain on palpation | Could not be calculated | ||
| Pain during activity | Could not be calculated | |||||
| Mayer et al.17 | 2 | F = 0, M = 20 | Pain Disability Index | Could not be calculated | ||
| Rompe et al.18 | 3 | n = 50 total (eccentric exercise v. wait and see) | Pain Experience Scale | Could not be calculated | ||
| VISA-A questionnaire | Large (d = 1.28) | |||||
| Likert scale | Large (d = −1.03) | |||||
| Pain | Large (d = −1.11) | |||||
| Orthotics | Insufficient evidence | Mayer et al.17 | 2 | F = 0, M = 21 | Pain Disability Index | Could not be calculated |
| Pain Experience Scale | Could not be calculated | |||||
| AirHeel brace (Aircast) | Not effective | Knobloch et al.19 | 3 | F = 34, M = 63 | Visual analogue scale | Mild (d = −0.29) |
| Petersen et al.20 | 3 | F = 40, M = 60 | Foot and Ankle Outcome Score | |||
| Symptoms | No effect (d = 0) | |||||
| Pain | No effect (d = −0.10) | |||||
| Sports | No effect (d = 0.04) | |||||
| Quality of life | No effect (d = 0.12) | |||||
| Night splint | Not effective | de Vos et al.21 | 3 | F = 26, M = 37 | VISA-A | Could not be calculated |
| Shock wave therapy | Insufficient evidence | Rompe et al.18 | 3 | F = 38, M = 30 (group 1: eccentric training; group 2: eccentric training and shock wave therapy) | VISA-A | Large (d = −0.77) |
| Likert scale | Moderate (d = 0.54) | |||||
| Pain | Large (d = 0.71) | |||||
| Rompe et al.14 | 3 | F = 46, M = 29 (group 1: eccentric training; group 2: shock wave therapy; group 3: wait and see) | VISA-A | Group 1 v. 2, small (d = 0.30) | ||
| Group 1 v. 3, large (d = 1.28) | ||||||
| Group 2 v. 3, large (d = 1.05) | ||||||
| Likert scale | Group 1 v. 2, no effect (d = −0.13) | |||||
| Group 1 v. 3, large (d = −1.03) | ||||||
| Group 2 v. 3, large (d = −0.90) | ||||||
| Pain | Group 1 v. 2, no effect (d = −0.18) | |||||
| Group 1 v. 3, large (d = −1.11) | ||||||
| Group 2 v. 3, large (d = −0.95) | ||||||
| Glyceryl trinitrate | Insufficient evidence | Kane et al.22 | 4 | n = 40 | Pain | Could not be calculated |
| Paoloni et al.23 | 4 | n = 65 | Pain with activity | Large (d = −3.50) |
Note: F = female, M = male, VISA-A = Victorian Institute of Sports Assessment–Achilles.