The Management of Mid-Portion Achilles Tendinopathy from a Physiotherapeutic Point of View: A Systematic Review

Tendinopathy of the mid-portion of the Achilles tendon is common in athletes and non-athletes. From a physiotherapeutic view, calf muscle training is the most recommended kind of treatment. However, there is no current systematic review evaluating the efficacy of physiotherapy in due consideration of the entire spectrum of therapeutic options. A systematic review of the literature in several databases and journals revealed 19 relevant studies. Good evidence was found for eccentric training compared to no therapy, satisfactory evidence for eccentric training compared to concentric training, satisfactory to good evidence for the same effect by using eccentric training and heavy slow resistance training, poor evidence for the same effect by using eccentric training and stretching, and poor to good evidence that eccentric training may have the same effect as several therapies applied by physicians. The Alfredson protocol and heavy slow resistance training may be the most recommendable types of calf muscle training. There is no high-quality evidence for the efficacy of other hands off or hands on treatment options.