Physiotherapy Treatment for Chronic Achilles Tendinopathy (PhyCAT)

University of Bergen

Status: Completed

Conditions: Achilles Tendinopathy

Treatments: Other: Sham Low-level Laser Therapy; Other: Low-level Laser Therapy; Other: Exercise therapy; Other: Cryotherapy

Study type: Interventional

Funder types: Other

Identifiers

NCT03743441

20161107

Details and patient eligibility

About

Laser treatment with the proper dosage has been found effective in the treatment of chronic Achilles tendinopathy, and animal research indicate that a combination of cryotherapy followed by LLLT could yield an even better result.

Thus, the main purpose of this project is to test if the addition of low level laser therapy can enhance the treatment result of exercise and cryotherapy in patients with chronic Achilles tendinopathy, yielding less pain and higher function.

Enrollment: 41 patients

Sex: All

Ages: 18 to 80 years old

Volunteers: No Healthy Volunteers

Inclusion criteria

• Achilles tendinopathy with a minimum duration of three months, pathological appearance of the Achilles tendon with thickened tendon and structural changes of the tendons matrix.

Exclusion criteria

• Cortisone injection within the last 6 months, systemic inflammatory disease, previous suture/surgery of the Achilles tendon, pregnancy or familial hypercholesterolemia.

Trial design

Primary purpose: Treatment

Allocation: Randomized

Interventional model: Parallel Assignment

Masking: Quadruple Blind

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41 participants in 2 patient groups

Exercise + Cryotherapy + LLLT

Active Comparator group

Treatment:

Other: Exercise therapy

Other: Cryotherapy

Other: Low-level Laser Therapy

Exercise + Cryotherapy + Sham LLLT

Sham Comparator group

Treatment:

Other: Exercise therapy

Other: Cryotherapy

Other: Sham Low-level Laser Therapy