[Guideline 'Chronic Achilles tendinopathy, in particular tendinosis, in sportsmen/sportswomen'].
--Chronic Achilles tendinopathy in sports often leads to various therapeutic strategies, medical shopping and frequently to inability to perform at the desired level. --Although it is clear that this chronic tendinopathy is not an inflammatory disease of the tendon, the cause of the degeneration of the tendon fibres is not understood. --The main therapeutic measure--based on scientific evidence--is eccentric calf-muscle training for at least 3 months. --Recent therapies such as sclerotherapy ofneovascularizations in and around the Achilles tendon appear to be promising, but more studies are required. --About 20% of the patients tend to be refractive to conservative measures. --In selected cases surgery can be undertaken, with percutaneous longitudinal tenotomy proving effective in 75-80% of the cases.
van Linschoten
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Vereniging voor Sportgeneeskunde, Postbus 52, 3720 AB Bilthoven.
den Hoed
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PT
de Jongh
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AC
D000125:Achilles Tendon / Q000473:pathology*; D002908:Chronic Disease; D005081:Exercise Therapy / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D018482:Muscle, Skeletal / Q000473:pathology; D017060:Patient Satisfaction; D017410:Practice Guidelines as Topic; D013177:Sports; D052256:Tendinopathy / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000628:therapy*