Improving clinical evaluation and decision-making in military personnel with mid-portion Achilles tendinopathy: Focusing on Ultrasound Tissue Characterization
Publication date
2024-04-02
Authors
Paantjens, Marc Adriaan
Editors
Advisors
Backx, F.J.G.
Helmhout, P.H.
Bakker, E.W.P.
Supervisors
Document Type
Dissertation
Metadata
Show full item recordCollections
License
Abstract
Chapter 1: Introduction
We aimed to improve the clinical evaluation and decision-making process in military healthcare aimed at personnel with Achilles tendinopathy (AT), primarily focusing on mid-portion Achilles tendinopathy (mid-AT). Six studies were undertaken, with three core themes being the subject of research:
I. ultrasonographical assessment of mid-portion tendon structure;
II. clinical effectiveness of extracorporeal shockwave therapy (ESWT);
III. thresholds on the Victorian Institute of Sport Assessment – Achilles (VISA-A) questionnaire.
The primary objective was to evaluate ultrasound tissue characterization (UTC) as an outcome measure for mid-AT.
Chapter 2: Inter-rater reliability of ultrasonography for Achilles tendon structure.
In asymptomatic subjects, conventional ultrasonography showed:
1. almost perfect agreement in grading mid-portion tendon structure (kw 0.87, 95% CI: 0.79, 0.95);
2. a very high inter-observer correlation in measuring mid-portion diameter in short-axis plane
Keywords
Achilles tendinopathy; ultrasonography; ultrasound tissue charactarization; patient-reported outcome; reliability; validity; prognosis