Effectiveness of eccentric calf muscle exercise therapy in patients with chronic midportion Achilles tendinopathy: a randomized controlled trial.

IF 4.5 2区医学 Q1 SPORT SCIENCES

Journal of science and medicine in sport Pub Date : 2026-07-21 DOI:10.1016/j.jsams.2026.07.012

Tamara Janssen, Sietske van Berkel, Mireille Edens, Laura Weerwag, Robert-Jan de Vos

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引用次数: 0

Abstract

Objectives: Achilles tendinopathy is a common injury that reduces quality of life and function. Eccentric calf muscle exercise therapy (EET) is the most frequently used exercise type in clinical trials. This study aimed to compare the short-term effectiveness of EET to sham exercise therapy (upper extremity strength training, UET) in patients with chronic midportion Achilles tendinopathy.

Design: A randomized controlled trial.

Methods: Adults with clinically diagnosed Achilles tendinopathy were assigned to either EET or UET. The intervention consisted of daily calf-muscle or upper limb strengthening exercises for 12 weeks. The primary outcome was the change in the Victorian Institute of Sports Assessment-Achilles (VISA-A, 0-100) score over 12 weeks. Treatment effects were analyzed using linear mixed models, based on intention-to-treat.

Results: Sixty-eight participants (34 EET, 34 UET) were included (mean age: 52 ± 10 years; 40% female). Ten participants (15%) were lost to follow-up. After 12 weeks, the mean VISA-A score improved by 10 points (95% confidence interval [CI], 2-22) in the EET group and by 6 points (95% CI, 2-15) in the UET group. The adjusted between-group difference was not significant (4 points; 95% CI, -7-15).

Conclusions: In patients with chronic midportion Achilles tendinopathy, no significant difference in symptom improvement was observed between unsupervised home-based EET and UET after 12 weeks. These findings suggest limited short-term effectiveness of EET as an unsupervised home-based exercise program.

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偏心小腿肌肉运动治疗慢性跟腱中段病的有效性：一项随机对照试验。

目的：跟腱病是一种常见的损伤，降低生活质量和功能。偏心小腿肌肉运动疗法（EET）是临床试验中最常用的运动类型。本研究旨在比较EET与假运动疗法（上肢力量训练，UET）对慢性跟腱中段病变患者的短期疗效。设计：随机对照试验。方法：临床诊断为跟腱病的成人被分配到EET或UET。干预包括每天进行小腿肌肉或上肢强化锻炼，持续12 周。主要结果是在12 周内维多利亚运动评估协会跟腱（VISA-A, 0-100）评分的变化。采用基于意向-治疗的线性混合模型分析治疗效果。结果：共纳入68例受试者（EET 34例，UET 34例）（平均年龄：52 ± 10 岁，女性占40%）。10名参与者（15%）失去随访。12 周后，EET组的平均VISA-A评分提高了10分（95%置信区间[CI]， 2-22）， UET组提高了6分（95% CI, 2-15）。调整后的组间差异无统计学意义（4点；95% CI, -7-15）。结论：在慢性跟腱中段病变患者中，在12 周后，无监督的家庭EET和UET在症状改善方面没有显著差异。这些发现表明，EET作为一种无监督的家庭锻炼项目，短期效果有限。

本文章由计算机程序翻译，如有差异，请以英文原文为准。

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来源期刊

Journal of science and medicine in sport 医学-运动科学

CiteScore

7.40

自引率

10.00%

发文量

198

审稿时长

48 days

期刊介绍： The Journal of Science and Medicine in Sport is the official journal of Sports Medicine Australia (SMA) and is an an international refereed research publication covering all aspects of sport science and medicine. The Journal considers for publication Original research and Review papers in the sub-disciplines relating generally to the broad sports medicine and sports science fields: sports medicine, sports injury (including injury epidemiology and injury prevention), physiotherapy, podiatry, physical activity and health, sports science, biomechanics, exercise physiology, motor control and learning, sport and exercise psychology, sports nutrition, public health (as relevant to sport and exercise), and rehabilitation and injury management. Manuscripts with an interdisciplinary perspective with specific applications to sport and exercise and its interaction with health will also be considered.