Resistance Training as Treatment of Achilles Tendinopathy

University of Copenhagen

Status: Completed

Conditions: Achilles Tendinopathy

Treatments: Other: Eccentric resistance training; Other: Heavy slow resistance training

Study type: Interventional

Funder types: Other

Identifiers

NCT00952042

Kongsgaard2

Details and patient eligibility

About

The use of eccentric resistance training as management of Achilles tendinopathy is widespread. The investigators have recently demonstrated that heavy slow resistance training was superior in the management of patellar tendinopathy.

Hypothesis: heavy slow resistance training is more effective than eccentric resistance training in the clinical management of Achilles tendinopathy.

Enrollment: 47 patients

Sex: All

Ages: 18 to 60 years old

Volunteers: No Healthy Volunteers

Inclusion criteria

• Unilateral Achilles tendon pain,
• Symptoms for at least three months,
• Ultrasonographical tendon abnormalities, AND
• Able to comply with both intervention arms.

Exclusion criteria

• Bilateral symptoms,
• Previous surgery below knee,
• Corticosteroid injections below the knee during past year,
• Hypercholesterol,
• Diabetes, OR
• Arthritis.

Trial design

Primary purpose: Treatment

Allocation: Randomized

Interventional model: Parallel Assignment

Masking: Single Blind

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47 participants in 2 patient groups

Heavy slow resistance training

Experimental group

Description:

12 wks of heavy slow resistance training. training three times per week. each session: 3 heel-raise exercises. 12-6RM. Slow contractions.

Treatment:

Other: Heavy slow resistance training

Eccentric resistance training

Active Comparator group

Description:

12 wks of eccentric resistance training. 3 x 15 Eccentric heel-raises performed twice daily.

Treatment:

Other: Eccentric resistance training