The additional value of a night splint to eccentric exercises in chronic midportion Achilles tendinopathy: a randomised controlled trial.

de Vos RJ, Weir A, Visser RJ, de Winter T, Tol JL        

The aim of this study was to assess whether the use of a night splint is of added benefit on functional outcome in treating chronic midportion Achilles tendinopathy. 70 tendons were included and randomised into one of two treatment groups: eccentric exercises with a night splint or eccentric exercises only. After 12 weeks, patient satisfaction in the eccentric group was 63% compared with 48% in the night splint group and the VISA-A score significantly improved in both groups. There was no significant difference between the two groups in VISA-A score and patient satisfaction. The authors conclude that a night splint is not beneficial in addition to eccentric exercises in the treatment of chronic midportion Achilles tendinopathy.

British Journal of Sports Medicine, 2007, 41(7), e5

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