Abstract
Aims: A prospective study to evaluate the beneþts of extracorporeal shockwave therapy (ESWT) in patients with chronic Achilles tendonitis. Methods: 34 cases of non-insertional Achilles tendonitis were treated in 32 patients, using radial shockwave treatment. Symptoms had been present for at least ten months and were resistant to conservative treatments. Patients received three shockwaves sessions at weekly intervals. Evaluation was performed prior to treatment, at six weeks and three months after the þnal session. Patients completed a visual analogue score (VAS) for maximal pain (0–100), the American Orthopaedic Foot and Ankle Society (AOFAS) ankle-hind foot Scale and the Victorian Institute of Sport Assessment-Achilles questionnaire (VISA-A). Results: At short term review all patients reported an improvement in symptoms. The VAS fell from a pre-treatment value of 74 (±15) to 22(±17). An improvement in the AOFAS from of 64 (±10) to a post-treatment value of 90(±7) was seen, and an average from 30 to 70 in the VISA-A score. No complications from the treatment were reported. Four patients previously listed for surgery have improved sufþciently to be removed from the waiting list. Conclusion: Shortterm results using ESWT for the treatment of longstanding non-insertional Achilles tendonitis are encouraging. Longer Ðterm follow-up subsequent to this prospective pilot study is underway to assess if results are reproducible over a greater time period.
Theses abstracts were prepared by Professor Dr. Frantz Langlais. Correspondence should be addressed to him at EFORT Central Office, Freihofstrasse 22, CH-8700 Küsnacht, Switzerland.
