Exercise therapy for tendinopathy: a mixed-methods evidence synthesis exploring feasibility, acceptability and...

Area of Science:

• Orthopedics
• Sports Medicine
• Rehabilitation

Background:

• Tendinopathy is a common, painful condition limiting function, often managed with exercise therapy.
• A comprehensive review was conducted to map exercise interventions and outcomes for tendinopathies.

Approach:

• A scoping review identified interventions and outcomes across various tendinopathies.
• Systematic reviews evaluated exercise efficacy, moderators, and feasibility/acceptability.
• Extensive literature searches were performed across databases and registries.

Key Points:

• Exercise therapy is safe and beneficial for tendinopathy.
• Shoulder tendinopathy may benefit from flexibility and proprioception exercises.
• Combining concentric and eccentric strengthening, and exercise with other modalities, shows potential benefits.
• Exercise interventions are generally feasible and acceptable, with patient factors being crucial.

Conclusions:

• Exercise therapy is a safe and beneficial treatment for tendinopathy.
• Specific exercise approaches, like combined strengthening and adjunct therapies, show promise.
• High-quality research with standardized reporting is needed to confirm findings.