Conservative treatment of chronic Achilles tendinopathy

Abstract

chilles tendinopathy is a common condition, particularly in those who run. It is a chronic, activity-limiting syndrome, defined by the presence of pain and thickening in the Achilles tendon (Figure 1 1 ). The lifetime prevalence of Achilles tendinopathy is 52% in former runners, and the annual incidence is 7%‐ 9% in current runners. 2 This syndrome encompasses several overlapping pathologies and is clinically distinct from rupture or partial rupture. Onset is typically insidious and chronic in nature, although occasionally a patient may present with acute tendinopathy. A classification system for disorders of the Achilles tendon is presented in Table 1, 3,4 based