title: Prognostic factors of extracorporeal shock wave therapy for tendinopathies.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Extracorporeal shock wave therapy is very widely used for the management of tendinopathies and plantar fasciitis.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  The aim of the study is to determine whether there are prognostic factors that may influence the outcome of extracorporeal shock wave therapy for these diseases.
  
  
  METHODS
  Three hundred fifty-five patients were analyzed 2 months after shock wave treatment for rotator cuff tendinitis, epicondylitis, Achilles tendinopathy, trocanteritis, jumper's knee or plantar fasciitis. We recorded the epidemiological, clinical and treatment protocol, and these data were correlated with treatment outcome.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Clinical improvement was achieved in 45.9 % of these patients. We discovered that laterality different to the dominant limb (p < 0.0001) and repeated shock wave treatments (p = 0.004) are prognostic factors in an unsuccessful therapy, while being male (p = 0.015) and a high body mass index (p = 0.004) are factors for success. We found no differences in relation to age, diet, blood type, work or sport activity, presence of co-morbidities, drugs, type of tendinopathy, density of energy delivered and other physiotherapy treatment. Knowledge of these prognostic factors may lead to improved insight for physicians and physiotherapists to predict the extent of the recovery and adjust rehabilitation and patient expectations accordingly.
authors.affiliation: Course of Motor and Sports Sciences, Department of Medical Sciences of Basis, Neurosciences and Organs of Sense, Faculty of Medicine and Surgery, University of Study of Bari, Lungomare Starita 1, 70123, Bari, Italy. angelanotarnicola@yahoo.it.|Orthopedics Section, Department of Medical Sciences of Basis, Neurosciences and Organs of Sense, Faculty of Medicine and Surgery, University of Study of Bari, General Hospital, Piazza Giulio Cesare 11, 70124, Bari, Italy. angelanotarnicola@yahoo.it.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Notarnicola
authors.affiliation: Orthopedics Section, Department of Medical Sciences of Basis, Neurosciences and Organs of Sense, Faculty of Medicine and Surgery, University of Study of Bari, General Hospital, Piazza Giulio Cesare 11, 70124, Bari, Italy.
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Maccagnano
authors.affiliation: Department of Biomedical Sciences and Human Oncology, Faculty of Medicine and Surgery, University of Study of Bari, General Hospital, Piazza Giulio Cesare 11, 70124, Bari, Italy.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Tafuri
authors.affiliation: Orthopedics Section, Department of Medical Sciences of Basis, Neurosciences and Organs of Sense, Faculty of Medicine and Surgery, University of Study of Bari, General Hospital, Piazza Giulio Cesare 11, 70124, Bari, Italy.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Fiore
authors.affiliation: Orthopedics Section, Department of Medical Sciences of Basis, Neurosciences and Organs of Sense, Faculty of Medicine and Surgery, University of Study of Bari, General Hospital, Piazza Giulio Cesare 11, 70124, Bari, Italy.
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Margiotta
authors.affiliation: Orthopedics Section, Department of Medical Sciences of Basis, Neurosciences and Organs of Sense, Faculty of Medicine and Surgery, University of Study of Bari, General Hospital, Piazza Giulio Cesare 11, 70124, Bari, Italy.
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Pesce
authors.affiliation: Course of Motor and Sports Sciences, Department of Medical Sciences of Basis, Neurosciences and Organs of Sense, Faculty of Medicine and Surgery, University of Study of Bari, Lungomare Starita 1, 70123, Bari, Italy.|Orthopedics Section, Department of Medical Sciences of Basis, Neurosciences and Organs of Sense, Faculty of Medicine and Surgery, University of Study of Bari, General Hospital, Piazza Giulio Cesare 11, 70124, Bari, Italy.
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Moretti
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D005260:Female; D019220:High-Energy Shock Waves / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011379:Prognosis; D052256:Tendinopathy / Q000628:therapy*; D016896:Treatment Outcome
keywords: Prognosis; Risk factor; Shock waves; Tendinopathy