Responsiveness of Quantitative Musculoskeletal Ultrasound Measures on the Healing of Achilles Tendon

NCT ID: NCT04651985

Last Updated: 2022-11-03

Study Results

Results pending

The study team has not published outcome measurements, participant flow, or safety data for this trial yet. Check back later for updates.

Basic Information

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Recruitment Status

COMPLETED

Total Enrollment

30 participants

Study Classification

OBSERVATIONAL

Study Start Date

2021-08-31

Study Completion Date

2022-07-31

Brief Summary

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To this day, the most accepted treatment for the Achilles tendinopathy (AT) remains the exercise program to strengthen the plantar flexor muscles. The eccentric exercises protocol proposed by Alfredson is the most popular and recommended one by the rehabilitation professionals. Currently, the response to interventions is measured almost exclusively by clinical data, especially using questionnaires, since the Quantitative Ultrasound (QUS) is rarely used. In fact, the thickness of the Achilles tendon, which is generally the only measure noted when using musculoskeletal ultrasound on AT, does not allow the clinician to confirm an improvement following an eccentric exercise program if the tendon is thinner, especially in adults with chronic AT. No scientific evidence indicates whether there is an improvement in the biological integrity of the Achilles tendon following the completion of Alfredson's eccentric strengthening protocol. This is why it seems relevant to use the pre-established minimal biomarker data set obtained with the QUS in order to study the variation of these data in response to a rehabilitation intervention and to verify how these variations influence clinical data.

Detailed Description

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A comprehensive clinical evaluation (questionnaires, clinical examination and ultrasound imaging) will be completed immediately before the intervention (pre), immediately after the intervention (post), and three months after the intervention (follow-up).

Conditions

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Achilles Tendinopathy

Study Design

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Observational Model Type

COHORT

Study Time Perspective

PROSPECTIVE

Study Groups

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Injured Achilles tendon participants who have an Achilles tendinopathy

They will do the eccentric exercise protocol and go through a series of ultrasound examination.

Eccentric strengthening exercises of the Achilles tendon

Intervention Type OTHER

This exercise will require the completion of slow active eccentric plantar flexion exercises with the forefoot positioned over the edge of a step. These exercises will be repeated twice daily (three sets of 15 repetitions with the knee in extension and three sets of 15 repetitions with the knee in flexion) during a three-month period. The amount of loading will be calibrated and progressed on a weekly basis by the physiotherapist according the participant's perceived effort and pain intensity.

Healthy Achilles tendon (contralateral) of participants who have an Achilles tendinopathy

They will do the eccentric exercise protocol and go through a series of ultrasound examination.

Eccentric strengthening exercises of the Achilles tendon

Intervention Type OTHER

This exercise will require the completion of slow active eccentric plantar flexion exercises with the forefoot positioned over the edge of a step. These exercises will be repeated twice daily (three sets of 15 repetitions with the knee in extension and three sets of 15 repetitions with the knee in flexion) during a three-month period. The amount of loading will be calibrated and progressed on a weekly basis by the physiotherapist according the participant's perceived effort and pain intensity.

Interventions

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Eccentric strengthening exercises of the Achilles tendon

This exercise will require the completion of slow active eccentric plantar flexion exercises with the forefoot positioned over the edge of a step. These exercises will be repeated twice daily (three sets of 15 repetitions with the knee in extension and three sets of 15 repetitions with the knee in flexion) during a three-month period. The amount of loading will be calibrated and progressed on a weekly basis by the physiotherapist according the participant's perceived effort and pain intensity.

Intervention Type OTHER

Eligibility Criteria

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Inclusion Criteria

* Symptoms consistent with AT in the middle third of the Achilles tendon for at least six weeks
* AT signs objectified by the physical exam and the ultrasound imaging at the initial evaluation
* At least 18 years old
* Victorian Institute of Sport Assessment-Achilles Questionnaire (VISA-A) score below 90
* have pain of at least 3 out of 10 according to the analog visual scale during athletic activities

Exclusion Criteria

* Pain at the Achilles tendon enthesis
* A complete rupture of the Achilles tendon History of Achilles tendon rupture Inflammatory arthropathy
* Sign of neurological lesion on physical examination of the lower limb
* Neurological disease (e.g. multiple sclerosis, stroke)
* History of intervention of the Achilles tendon or ankle (e.g. surgery, cortisone infiltration, extracorporeal shock waves therapy, platelet-rich plasma injection).
Minimum Eligible Age

18 Years

Maximum Eligible Age

99 Years

Eligible Sex

ALL

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

No

Sponsors

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Centre hospitalier de l'Université de Montréal (CHUM)

OTHER

Sponsor Role lead

Responsible Party

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Responsibility Role SPONSOR

Principal Investigators

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Martin Lamontagne, MD

Role: PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR

Centre Hospitalier Universitaire de Montreal (CHUM)

Locations

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Hôpital Hôtel-Dieu de Montreal

Montreal, Quebec, Canada

Site Status

Countries

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Canada

References

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Alfredson H, Pietila T, Jonsson P, Lorentzon R. Heavy-load eccentric calf muscle training for the treatment of chronic Achilles tendinosis. Am J Sports Med. 1998 May-Jun;26(3):360-6. doi: 10.1177/03635465980260030301.

Reference Type RESULT
PMID: 9617396 (View on PubMed)

Beyer R, Kongsgaard M, Hougs Kjaer B, Ohlenschlaeger T, Kjaer M, Magnusson SP. Heavy Slow Resistance Versus Eccentric Training as Treatment for Achilles Tendinopathy: A Randomized Controlled Trial. Am J Sports Med. 2015 Jul;43(7):1704-11. doi: 10.1177/0363546515584760. Epub 2015 May 27.

Reference Type RESULT
PMID: 26018970 (View on PubMed)

Binkley JM, Stratford PW, Lott SA, Riddle DL. The Lower Extremity Functional Scale (LEFS): scale development, measurement properties, and clinical application. North American Orthopaedic Rehabilitation Research Network. Phys Ther. 1999 Apr;79(4):371-83.

Reference Type RESULT
PMID: 10201543 (View on PubMed)

Cardoso TB, Pizzari T, Kinsella R, Hope D, Cook JL. Current trends in tendinopathy management. Best Pract Res Clin Rheumatol. 2019 Feb;33(1):122-140. doi: 10.1016/j.berh.2019.02.001. Epub 2019 Mar 8.

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PMID: 31431267 (View on PubMed)

Collinger JL, Fullerton B, Impink BG, Koontz AM, Boninger ML. Validation of grayscale-based quantitative ultrasound in manual wheelchair users: relationship to established clinical measures of shoulder pathology. Am J Phys Med Rehabil. 2010 May;89(5):390-400. doi: 10.1097/PHM.0b013e3181d8a238.

Reference Type RESULT
PMID: 20407304 (View on PubMed)

de Jonge S, van den Berg C, de Vos RJ, van der Heide HJ, Weir A, Verhaar JA, Bierma-Zeinstra SM, Tol JL. Incidence of midportion Achilles tendinopathy in the general population. Br J Sports Med. 2011 Oct;45(13):1026-8. doi: 10.1136/bjsports-2011-090342.

Reference Type RESULT
PMID: 21926076 (View on PubMed)

Farnqvist K, Pearson S, Malliaras P. Adaptation of Tendon Structure and Function in Tendinopathy With Exercise and Its Relationship to Clinical Outcome. J Sport Rehabil. 2020 Jan 1;29(1):107-115. doi: 10.1123/jsr.2018-0353.

Reference Type RESULT
PMID: 30860421 (View on PubMed)

Kudron C, Carlson MJ, Meron A, Sridhar B, Brakke Holman R. Using Ultrasound Measurement of the Achilles Tendon in Asymptomatic Runners to Assist in Predicting Tendinopathy. J Ultrasound Med. 2020 Mar;39(3):491-496. doi: 10.1002/jum.15125. Epub 2019 Sep 6.

Reference Type RESULT
PMID: 31490583 (View on PubMed)

Lalumiere M, Lariviere C, Nadeau MJ, Paquette P, Lamontagne M, Desmeules F, Gagnon DH. Proposing a Minimal Data Set of Musculoskeletal Ultrasound Imaging Biomarkers to Inform Clinical Practice: An Analysis Founded on the Achilles Tendon. Ultrasound Med Biol. 2020 Sep;46(9):2222-2235. doi: 10.1016/j.ultrasmedbio.2020.04.024. Epub 2020 Jun 8.

Reference Type RESULT
PMID: 32527592 (View on PubMed)

McAuliffe S, Tabuena A, McCreesh K, O'Keeffe M, Hurley J, Comyns T, Purtill H, O'Neill S, O'Sullivan K. Altered Strength Profile in Achilles Tendinopathy: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. J Athl Train. 2019 Aug;54(8):889-900. doi: 10.4085/1062-6050-43-18. Epub 2019 Aug 6.

Reference Type RESULT
PMID: 31386582 (View on PubMed)

Nadeau MJ, Desrochers A, Lamontagne M, Lariviere C, Gagnon DH. Quantitative ultrasound imaging of Achilles tendon integrity in symptomatic and asymptomatic individuals: reliability and minimal detectable change. J Foot Ankle Res. 2016 Aug 17;9:30. doi: 10.1186/s13047-016-0164-3. eCollection 2016.

Reference Type RESULT
PMID: 27540416 (View on PubMed)

Ortega-Avila AB, Reina-Martin I, Cervera-Garvi P, Lopezosa-Reca E, Cabello-Manrique D, Gijon-Nogueron G. Systematic review of the psychometric properties of the Victorian Institute of Sports Assessment - Achilles tendinopathy questionnaire. Disabil Rehabil. 2021 Apr;43(8):1056-1064. doi: 10.1080/09638288.2019.1652701. Epub 2019 Aug 20.

Reference Type RESULT
PMID: 31429326 (View on PubMed)

Price DD, McGrath PA, Rafii A, Buckingham B. The validation of visual analogue scales as ratio scale measures for chronic and experimental pain. Pain. 1983 Sep;17(1):45-56. doi: 10.1016/0304-3959(83)90126-4.

Reference Type RESULT
PMID: 6226917 (View on PubMed)

Wearing SC, Grigg NL, Hooper SL, Smeathers JE. Conditioning of the Achilles tendon via ankle exercise improves correlations between sonographic measures of tendon thickness and body anthropometry. J Appl Physiol (1985). 2011 May;110(5):1384-9. doi: 10.1152/japplphysiol.00075.2011. Epub 2011 Mar 10.

Reference Type RESULT
PMID: 21393469 (View on PubMed)

Rompe JD, Nafe B, Furia JP, Maffulli N. Eccentric loading, shock-wave treatment, or a wait-and-see policy for tendinopathy of the main body of tendo Achillis: a randomized controlled trial. Am J Sports Med. 2007 Mar;35(3):374-83. doi: 10.1177/0363546506295940. Epub 2007 Jan 23.

Reference Type RESULT
PMID: 17244902 (View on PubMed)

Sunding K, Fahlstrom M, Werner S, Forssblad M, Willberg L. Evaluation of Achilles and patellar tendinopathy with greyscale ultrasound and colour Doppler: using a four-grade scale. Knee Surg Sports Traumatol Arthrosc. 2016 Jun;24(6):1988-96. doi: 10.1007/s00167-014-3270-4. Epub 2014 Sep 6.

Reference Type RESULT
PMID: 25193569 (View on PubMed)

Other Identifiers

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2021-9100

Identifier Type: -

Identifier Source: org_study_id

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