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Injection treatments for patellar tendinopathy.
Mathijs van Ark1, Johannes Zwerver, Inge van den Akker-Scheek
1Center for Sports Medicine, University Medical Center Groningen, The Netherlands. m.van.ark@sport.umcg.nl
British Journal of Sports Medicine
|May 6, 2011
Summary
Injection treatments show promise for patellar tendinopathy, but results vary. Steroid injections may lead to symptom relapse, necessitating further high-quality research for effective treatment strategies.
Area of Science:
- Orthopedics
- Sports Medicine
- Regenerative Medicine
Background:
- Injection treatments are increasingly utilized for patellar tendinopathy.
- Understanding the efficacy and rationale of various injection modalities is crucial.
Purpose of the Study:
- To systematically review different injection treatments for patellar tendinopathy.
- To describe their underlying rationales and reported effectiveness.
Main Methods:
- A comprehensive literature search was performed across major databases (Medline, Embase, CINAHL, Web of Knowledge) up to May 2010.
- Included studies comprised randomized controlled trials (RCTs), non-RCTs, and cohort studies.
Main Results:
- Eleven articles covering seven distinct injection treatments (dry needling, autologous blood, high-volume, platelet-rich plasma, sclerosis, steroids, aprotinin) were analyzed.
- All reviewed studies reported positive outcomes for the investigated injection treatments.
- The quality of RCTs varied, with Delphi scores ranging from 5 to 8 out of 9.
Conclusions:
- Seven different injection treatments appear promising for managing patellar tendinopathy.
- Steroid injections are associated with a higher likelihood of long-term symptom relapse compared to other methods.
- Further high-quality research with standardized outcome measures is needed to clarify efficacy and guide clinical practice, particularly differentiating between reactive and degenerative phases.
