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Neovascularization is frequently observed in tendinopathy. Previous studies have focused on the role of neovascularization in Achilles tendinopathy, but have been conducted in small series. It is still unclear whether the degree of neovascularization is related to severity of symptoms. The purpose was to study the relationship between ultrasonographic neovascularization and clinical severity in patients with Achilles tendinopathy. In this prospective cohort study, data on 127 patients (141 tendons) were assembled from databases of three clinical trials. All patients followed an eccentric exercise program. The Öhberg neovascularization score (0-4+) and Victorian Institute of Sports Assessment-Achilles (VISA-A) score (split into domains: pain, function and activity) were collected during baseline and follow-up. The relationship between neovascularization and VISA-A score was calculated. At baseline, 107 tendons (76%) showed some degree of neovascularization. In 556 coupled measurements, neovascularization was weakly related to the VISA-A score [Exp (B) 1.017, 95% confidence interval (CI), 1.007-1.026]. No significant relationship was found between neovascularization and the pain domain (P = 0.277) and the activity domain (P = 0.283), but there was between neovascularization and the function domain of the VISA-A score [Exp (B) = 1.067, 95% CI 1.018-1.119]. In conclusion, neovascularization in Achilles tendinopathy is weakly related to clinical severity, mainly based on the function domain of the VISA-A score., (© 2013 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

Background: Eccentric exercises have the most evidence in conservative treatment of midportion Achilles tendinopathy. Although short-term studies show significant improvement, little is known of the long-term (>3 years) results., Aim: To evaluate the 5-year outcome of patients with chronic midportion Achilles tendinopathy treated with the classical Alfredson's heel-drop exercise programme., Study Design: Part of a 5-year follow-up of a previously conducted randomised controlled trial. Methods 58 patients (70 tendons) were approached 5 years after the start of the heel-drop exercise programme according to Alfredson. At baseline and at 5-year follow-up, the validated Victorian Institute of Sports Assessment-Achilles (VISA-A) questionnaire score, pain status, alternative treatments received and ultrasonographic neovascularisation score were recorded., Results: In 46 patients (58 tendons), the VISA-A score significantly increased from 49.2 at baseline to 83.6 after 5 years (p<0.001) and from the 1-year to 5-year follow-up from 75.0 to 83.4 (p<0.01). 39.7% of the patients were completely pain-free at follow-up and 48.3% had received one or more alternative treatments. The sagittal tendon thickness decreased from 8.05 mm (SD 2.1) at baseline to 7.50 mm (SD 1.6) at the 5-year follow-up (p=0.051)., Conclusion: At 5-year follow-up, a significant increase of VISA-A score can be expected. After the 3-month Alfredson's heel-drop exercise programme, almost half of the patients had received other therapies. Although improvement of symptoms can be expected at long term, mild pain may remain.

Background: Achilles tendon disorders, like Achilles tendinopathy, are very common among athletes. In the general population, however, knowledge about the incidence of Achilles tendinopathy is lacking. Design Cross-sectional study., Methods: In a cohort of 57.725 persons registered in primary care, the number of patients visiting the general practitioner (GP) with diagnosis of mid-portion Achilles tendon problems was counted using computerised registration networks of GPs in 2009. Subsequently, the authors assessed associations of these rates with demographic characteristics., Results: The incidence rate of Achilles tendinopathy is 1.85 per 1,000 Dutch GP registered patients. In the adult population (21-60 years), the incidence rate is 2.35 per 1,000. In 35% of the cases, a relationship with sports activity was recorded., Conclusion: This is the first report on incidence rates of mid-portion Achilles tendinopathy in general practice. With an incidence of 1.85 per 1,000 registered persons, Achilles tendinopathy is frequently seen by GPs. The actual incidence might even be higher due to study limitations. More research on the frequency of this injury is required.

Objective: To assess whether a platelet-rich plasma (PRP) injection leads to an enhanced tendon structure and neovascularisation, measured with ultrasonographic techniques, in chronic midportion Achilles tendinopathy., Design: Double-blind, randomised, placebo-controlled clinical trial., Setting: Sports medical department of The Hague medical centre., Patients: 54 patients with chronic midportion Achilles tendinopathy were included., Interventions: Patients were randomised to eccentric exercise therapy with either a PRP injection (PRP group) or a saline injection (placebo group)., Main Outcome Measurements: Tendon structure was evaluated by ultrasonographic tissue characterisation, a novel technique which quantifies tendon structure into four echo-types: echo-types I+II represent organised tendon bundles, whereas echo-types III+IV represent a disorganised tendon structure. Colour Doppler ultrasonography was used to measure the degree of neovascularisation. Follow-up was at 6, 12 and 24 weeks., Results: A significant improvement in echo-types I+II was found after 24 weeks within both the PRP group (n=27) and the placebo group (n=27), but there was no significant between-group difference (95% CI -1.6 to 7.8, p=0.169). After 6 weeks, the neovascularisation score increased within the PRP group (p=0.001) and the placebo group (p=0.002), but there was no significant between-group difference in change in neovascularisation score at any point in time., Conclusion: Injecting PRP for the treatment of chronic midportion Achilles tendinopathy does not contribute to an increased tendon structure or alter the degree of neovascularisation, compared with placebo., Funding: Biomet Biologics LLC, Warsaw, Indiana.

Objective: To assess whether three-dimensional imaging of the Achilles tendon by ultrasonographic tissue characterisation (UTC) can differentiate between symptomatic and asymptomatic tendons., Design: Case-control study., Setting: Sports Medical Department of the Hague Medical Centre., Patients: Twenty-six tendons from patients with chronic midportion Achilles tendinopathy were included. The "matched" control group consisted of 26 asymptomatic tendons., Interventions: Symptomatic and asymptomatic tendons were scanned using the UTC procedure. One researcher performed the ultrasonographic data collection. These blinded data were randomised, and outcome measures were determined by two independent observers., Main Outcome Measurements: The raw ultrasonographic images were analysed with a custom-designed algorithm that quantifies the three-dimensional stability of echo patterns, qua intensity and distribution over contiguous transverse images. This three-dimensional stability was related to tendon structure in previous studies. UTC categorises four different echotypes that represent (I) highly stable; (II) medium stable; (III) highly variable and (IV) constantly low intensity and variable distribution. The percentages of echo-types were calculated, and the maximum tendon thickness was measured. Finally, the inter-observer reliability of UTC was determined., Results: Symptomatic tendons showed less pixels in echo-types I and II than asymptomatic tendons (51.5% vs 76.6%, p<0.001), thus less three-dimensional stability of the echo pattern. The mean maximum tendon thickness was 9.2 mm in the symptomatic group and 6.8 mm in the asymptomatic group (p<0.001). The Intraclass Correlation Coefficient (ICC) for the interobserver reliability of determining the echo-types I+II was 0.95. The ICC for tendon thickness was 0.84., Conclusion: UTC can quantitatively evaluate tendon structure and thereby discriminate symptomatic and asymptomatic tendons. As such, UTC might be useful to monitor treatment protocols.

Objective: The study examined whether the addition of a night splint to eccentric exercises is beneficial for functional outcome in chronic midportion Achilles tendinopathy., Design: One-year follow-up of a randomised controlled single blinded clinical trial., Setting: Sports medicine department in a general hospital., Patients: 58 patients (70 tendons) were included., Interventions: All patients completed a 12-week heavy load eccentric training programme. One group received a night splint in addition to eccentric exercises., Main Outcome Measurements: Outcome scores were: Victorian Institute of Sport Assessment-Achilles (VISAA) score, subjective patient satisfaction and neovascularisation score measured with power Doppler ultrasonography (PDU)., Results: For both groups the VISA-A score increased significantly (from 50 to 76 (p<0.01) in the eccentric group and from 49 to 78 (p<0.01) in the night splint group). No significant differences in the VISA-A score were found between the groups from baseline to one year (p = 0.32). The presence of neovessels at baseline did not predict a change in the VISA-A score after one year in the whole group (p = 0.71)., Conclusion: Eccentric exercises with or without a night splint improved functional outcome at one year follow-up. At follow-up there was no significant difference in clinical outcome when a night splint was used in addition to an eccentric exercise programme. Between 3 months and one year follow-up, a continuing increase in the VISA-A score was found. Assessment of the neovascularisation score with PDU at baseline has no prognostic value on long-term clinical outcome.

Aim: To assess whether the use of a night splint is of added benefit on functional outcome in treating chronic midportion Achilles tendinopathy., Methods: This was a single-blind, prospective, single centre, randomised controlled trial set in the Sports Medical Department, The Hague Medical Centre, The Netherlands. Inclusion criteria were: age 18-70 years, active participation in sports, and tendon pain localised at 2-7 cm from distal insertion. Exclusion criteria were: insertional disorders, partial or complete ruptures, or systemic illness. 70 tendons were included and randomised into one of two treatment groups: eccentric exercises with a night splint (night splint group, n = 36) or eccentric exercises only (eccentric group, n = 34)., Interventions: Both groups completed a 12-week heavy-load eccentric training programme. One group received a night splint in addition to eccentric exercises. At baseline and follow-up at 12 weeks, patient satisfaction, Victorian Institute of Sport Assessment-Achilles questionnaire (VISA-A) score and reported compliance were recorded by a single-blind trained researcher who was blinded to the treatment., Results: After 12 weeks, patient satisfaction in the eccentric group was 63% compared with 48% in the night splint group. The VISA-A score significantly improved in both groups; in the eccentric group from 50.1 to 68.8 (p = 0.001) and in the night splint group from 49.4 to 67.0 (p<0.001). There was no significant difference between the two groups in VISA-A score (p = 0.815) and patient satisfaction (p = 0.261)., Conclusion: A night splint is not beneficial in addition to eccentric exercises in the treatment of chronic midportion Achilles tendinopathy.

This case report describes a patient with acute retrocalcaneal bursitis, which developed after MRI examination of the ankle. The sagittal T2*-weighted gradient echo sequence revealed an extensive susceptibility artifact in the area surrounding the Achilles tendon near its insertion at the os calcis. This artifact was caused by postsurgical metallic particles. We postulate that these particles were mechanically stimulated by the magnetic field and induced the inflammatory response.

Background Achilles tendon disorders, like Achilles tendinopathy, are very common among athletes. In the general population, however, knowledge about the incidence of Achilles tendinopathy is lacking. Design Cross-sectional study. Methods In a cohort of 57.725 persons registered in primary care, the number of patients visiting the general practitioner (GP) with diagnosis of mid-portion Achilles tendon problems was counted using computerised registration networks of GPs in 2009. Subsequently, the authors assessed associations of these rates with demographic characteristics. Results The incidence rate of Achilles tendinopathy is 1.85 per 1,000 Dutch GP registered patients. In the adult population (21-60 years), the incidence rate is 2.35 per 1,000. In 35% of the cases, a relationship with sports activity was recorded. Conclusion This is the fi rst report on incidence rates of mid-portion Achilles tendinopathy in general practice. With an incidence of 1.85 per 1,000 registered persons, Achilles tendinopathy is frequently seen by GPs. The actual incidence might even be higher due to study limitations. More research on the frequency of this injury is required. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]