Can sonography predict the outcome in patients with Achillodynia?

✍ Scribed by Archambault, Joanne M.; Wiley, J. Preston; Bray, Robert C.; Verhoef, Marja; Wiseman, David A.; Elliott, P. Davis

• Book ID: 101226779
• Publisher: John Wiley and Sons
• Year: 1998
• Tongue: English
• Weight: 221 KB
• Volume: 26
• Category: Article
• ISSN: 0091-2751
• DOI: 10.1002/(sici)1097-0096(199809)26:7<335::aid-jcu1>3.0.co;2-a

✦ Synopsis

Purpose. We evaluated whether the grade assigned to the Achilles tendon's appearance on sonograms can be used to predict the outcome of achillodynia.

Methods. A retrospective evaluation was done of a case series of patients with Achilles tendon pain seen at a sports medicine clinic. The study consisted of chart reviews, telephone follow-up interviews, and grading of ultrasound images of the tendon obtained during the initial visit. The grading scheme was as follows: grade 1, normal tendon; grade 2, enlarged tendon; and grade 3, tendon containing a hypoechoic area, regardless of size. The time needed to recover from symptoms was compared between grades using survival analysis.

Results. The group consisted of 33 patients, with a mean age of 35.8 years and a mean follow-up time of 24.3 months. There was a statistically significant difference in the time to full recovery between grades (p = 0.02). Patients with grade 1 tendons had a prompter resolution of symptoms than did patients with grade 2 or 3 tendons.

Conclusions. This retrospective study of the outcome of achillodynia demonstrates the possible use of tendon sonography as a prognostic tool to supplement physical examination.