Table 1.
Baseline characteristics of adults with chronic midportion Achilles tendinopathy assigned to a high volume injection without corticosteroid or placebo injection. Values are numbers (percentages) unless stated otherwise
| Characteristics | High volume injection group (n=39) | Placebo injection group (n=41) |
|---|---|---|
| Mean (SD) age (years) | 46.9 (8.1) | 48.9 (9.9) |
| Men | 17 (44) | 22 (54) |
| Mean (SD) body mass index | 26.8 (5.7) | 27.6 (5.1) |
| Activity level*: | ||
| Active in sports | 31 (79) | 33 (80) |
| Sedentary | 8 (21) | 8 (20) |
| Participation in desired sport (total hours per week) | 3.9 (2.0) | 4.9 (3.6) |
| Affected side: | ||
| Unilateral, left/right | 11/11 (56) | 15/15 (73) |
| Bilateral | 17 (44) | 11 (27) |
| Median (interquartile range) duration of symptoms (weeks) | 64 (17-112) | 60 (14-107) |
| Mean (SD) VISA-A score | 44.4 (15.5) | 41.0 (16.0) |
| Interventions at study start: | ||
| None | 24 (62) | 19 (46) |
| Night splint | 1 (3) | 0 (0) |
| Foot orthoses | 10 (26) | 18 (44) |
| Pain killers | 1 (3) | 4 (10) |
| Others | 3 (8) | 1 (2) |
| Doppler flow: | ||
| Intratendinous | 33 (85) | 37 (90) |
| Peritendinous | 6 (15) | 4 (10) |
VISA-A=Victorian Institute of Sports Assessment-Achilles.
*
Determined using the ankle activity score. Participants who scored ≥4 points were considered to be active in sports (starting from physical work). Participants who scored ≤3 points were considered to be sedentary (cycling, equestrian, or less activity). Level of sport and sports participation is only presented for the active group.