ECCENTRIC MUSCLE STRENGTHENING IN THE TREATMENT OF ACHILLES TENDINOPATHY: A SYSTEMATIC REVIEW

Abstract

INTRODUCTION: Physiotherapy, in the management of Achilles tendinopathy, uses physical resources of inflammation modulators and analgesics. As part of the physiotherapeutic treatment the literature has suggested the eccentric strengthening exercise with effective in the resolution of tendinopathies.. OBJECTIVE: The present study aimed to search for scientific evidence on the use of the eccentric strengthening exercise in the management of Achilles tendinopathy. METHODS: For the review composition, a search was made for studies in the Pubmed and PEDro virtual databases. The descriptors used were as follows: Eccentric, tendinopathy, Achilles Tendonitis. To compose the study the articles should obey the following eligibility criteria: articles published in English language, publication interval between 2013 to 2017, randomized clinical trials, with scores higher than 6 on the PEDro quality scale. RESULTS: A total of 87 articles were found, of which only 21 were related to the subject in question. Of the 21 articles 14 were excluded for the following reasons: 3 because they consist of case reports, 1 classified as a literature review, 1 was characterized as a clinical comment, 1 involved a study with an animal model, 1 was a research project, 5 was not Were classified with randomized clinical trials, 1 scored lower than 6 on the PEDro quality scale and 1 of them provided incomplete description of the results. CONCLUSION: Eccentric muscle strengthening is characterized as a therapeutic model of choice for the management of Achilles tendinopathy, the combination with other modalities potentiates its physiological effects.