Current treatment options for tendinopathy

Abstract

Importance of the field: Tendon disorders are frequent and are responsible for much morbidity, both in sport and the workplace. Although several therapeutic options are routinely used, very few well-conducted randomised prospective, placebo, controlled trials have been performed to assist in choosing the best evidence-based management.

Areas covered in this review: We performed a comprehensive search of PubMed, Medline, Cochrane, CINAHL, and Embase databases over the years 1966 – 2010 to review the best evidence-based options for the management of patients with tendinopathy.

What the reader will gain: The reader will obtain information on the available medical and surgical therapies used to manage tendinopathy-related symptoms. The effectiveness of therapies, the length of management and the adverse effects are examined.

Take-home message: Management of tendinopathy is often anecdotic and lacking well-researched scientific evidence. Teaching patients to control the symptoms may be more beneficial than leading them to believe that tendinopathy is fully curable.

Keywords::

• athlete
• eccentric exercises
• injury
• sports
• tendinopathy
• tendon

Notes

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