NCT02044016

The Achilles Tendon Length Measure (ATLM) - Development and Validation

• Status: Completed
• Phase: —
• Study type: Observational
• Enrollment: 28 (actual)
• Sponsor: Hvidovre University Hospital · Academic / Other
• Sex: All
• Age: 18 Years – 60 Years
• Healthy volunteers: Not accepted

Summary

The purpose of this study is 1) to develop and validate a new measurement to assess the length of the Achilles tendon after rupture, and 2) to examine if goniometer measurement of the ankle joint is a better method.

Detailed description

It has been shown that an Achilles tendon elongation compared to the un-injured leg is negatively associated with the clinical outcome and strength of the gastrocnemius muscle. Despite this knowledge, there is a lack of a valid score system that can measure the length of the Achilles tendon in daily clinical practice. Patients, who follow a rehabilitation program at the Department of Physiotherapy, also have their Achilles tendon examined for lengthening by physiotherapists, to evaluate if the heeling progresses as planned. Of concern, this examination is based on measures, which have not been thoroughly validated. The ATLM test use the same test position of the lower limb as being used in Matles test. Besides observing the foot's position, we will measure the distance from a point of reference on the foot to the examination coach. Reproducibility and responsiveness of the ATLM will be examined, while concurrent validity will be examined against ultrasound and a goniometry measure. The ultrasound is considered the most precise, secure and objective measure. The ATLM and goniometer measures will be conducted at 8 and 16 weeks after the injury. At 8 weeks there will be two physiotherapists conducting these measures (to investigate inter-tester reliability). The ruler and goniometer will have the numbers hidden. A third physiotherapist will read the results at 8 and 16 weeks, so that the physiotherapists will be blinded towards the results. A person blinded to these results will conduct the ultrasound.

Conditions

• Achilles Tendon Rupture

Timeline

• Start date: 2014-04-01
• Primary completion: 2015-07-01
• Completion: 2015-07-01
• First posted: 2014-01-23
• Last updated: 2018-08-08

Locations

1 site across 1 country: Denmark