None listed
Conditions
Brief summary
Contemporary thinking suggest that pain may be enhanced by the messages that health practitioners convey to patients in their initial meeting as they have been shown to have a strong influence upon their prior beliefs . Despite there being a very weak relationship between observable tissue pathology and symptoms research suggests that clinicians commonly use tissue based structural descriptions to explain clinical status in people with persistent musculoskeletal pain problems . The aim of this study therefore is to examine the instantaneous effect of diagnostic messaging on pain and function in people with AT. To achieve this, we will assess pain and leg stiffness with hopping in people with AT before and after a standard diagnostic discussion that includes discussion of tendon pathology and compare these results with participants who receive a diagnostic explanation that does not reference tendon pathology.
Interventions
The intervention group will be given an explanation of their tendon sensitivity that will focus on functional and wholly reversible problems within the musculature of the lower limb that impact on the way the tendon is loaded. The explanation will be delivered by a physiotherapist in a single 5 minute session. The essence of the messaging is that the tendon is sensitive as a consequence of highly reversible functional problems elsewhere – the concept of the tendon as a victim not the culprit. Ef
The intervention group will be given an explanation of their tendon sensitivity that will focus on functional and wholly reversible problems within the musculature of the lower limb that impact on the way the tendon is loaded. The explanation will be delivered by a physiotherapist in a single 5 minute session. The essence of the messaging is that the tendon is sensitive as a consequence of highly reversible functional problems elsewhere – the concept of the tendon as a victim not the culprit. Efforts will be made to ensure that participants are reassured that their tendon is strong and robust and fit for purpose to perform the hopping task without any danger to the tendon structure. The participant will be told that their Achilles tendon is painful due to the leg lacking the capacity to perform the tasks they wanted to do. If they increase the strength of their leg then it is reversible. No other description will be used.
Sponsors
The University of Notre Dame Australia
Study design
Allocation
Randomised controlled trial
Intervention model
Parallel
Primary purpose
Treatment
Masking
Blinded (masking used) (Subject, Investigator, Outcomes Assessor)
Eligibility
Sex/Gender
All
Age
18 Years to 60 Years
Healthy volunteers
No
Inclusion criteria
Participants will be included if they are a recreational runner with a history of unilateral mid portion Achilles tendinopathy for over 1 month. Participants must have sufficient English language skills to complete the questionnaires and be able to give consent to the test procedure. In addition participants VISA-A score must be below 80
Exclusion criteria
Insertional AT will be excluded from this study. People with a non-painful hop test will also be excluded from the study. Participants with a history of foot or ankle injury or surgery within the previous six months or any coexisting lower quadrant musculoskeletal problem will be excluded. Participants with any report of clinically significant low back pain within the previous 3-months will also be excluded. Participants with active systemic disease such as diabetes or an inflammatory disorder and those taking regular analgesic medications will be excluded
Outcome results
None listed