The effects of soft-tissue techniques and exercise in the treatment of patellar tendinopathy—systematic review and meta-analysis
Author
Ragone, Federico
Pérez-Guillén, Silvia
Publication date
2024ISSN
2227-9032
Abstract
Background: Patellar tendinopathy is a degenerative clinical disorder that causes load-related pain in the lower pole of the patella or patellar tendon. It predominantly affects young male athletes engaged in sports involving repetitive tendon loading, particularly explosive jumping. The combination of manual techniques with therapeutic exercise is hypothesized to provide greater benefits than exercise alone. Objective: The aim of this study is to analyze the scientific evidence regarding the effects of soft-tissue techniques combined with therapeutic exercise versus therapeutic exercise alone on pain intensity and function in individuals with patellar tendinopathy. Methods: A systematic review with meta-analysis was conducted following the PRISMA guidelines. PubMed, Lilacs, IBECS, CENTRAL, WOS, SciELO, Academic Search, CINAHL, SportDiscus, PEDro, and Google Scholar databases were consulted. Randomized controlled trials and quasi-randomized trials focusing on the effects of soft-tissue techniques combined with therapeutic exercise (experimental group) versus therapeutic exercise alone (control group) on pain and function in individuals aged 16 years and older with patellar tendinopathy were selected. The Cochrane tool for risk-of-bias assessment and the PEDro scale for methodological quality were used. Results and Discussion: A total of six studies (n = 309; age range = 16–40 years), considered to have a low risk of bias and moderate-to-high methodological quality, were included. The results showed improvements in function in the experimental group (mean of 60% on the Visa-P scale) and pain in the experimental group (mean decrease of 2 points in the VAS scale). There were improvements in 50% of the studies when comparing variables between the experimental and control groups. Conclusions: The combination of manual techniques, such as dry needling, percutaneous electrolysis, transverse friction massage, and stretching, along with a squat on a 25° inclined plane, appears to be effective in the treatment of patellar tendinopathy. Static stretching of the quadriceps before and after the squat five times per week, along with dry needling or percutaneous electrolysis sessions twice a week for 8 weeks, is recommended. However, future studies analyzing groups with passive techniques versus therapeutic exercise are needed to standardize the treatment and establish the optimal dose.
Document Type
Article
Document version
Published version
Language
English
Subject (CDU)
61 - Medical sciences
Keywords
Teràpia dels teixits tous
Tendinopatia rotuliana
Teràpia d'exercici
Terapia de tejidos blandos
Tendinopatía rotuliana
Terapia de ejercicio
Soft-tissue therapy
Patellar tendinopathy
Exercise therapy
Pages
12
Publisher
MDPI
Collection
12; 4
Is part of
Healthcare
Citation
Ragone, Federico; Pérez-Guillén, Silvia; Carrasco-Uribarren, Andoni [et al.]. The effects of soft-tissue techniques and exercise in the treatment of patellar tendinopathy—systematic review and meta-analysis. Healthcare, 2024, 12(4), 427. Disponible en: <https://www.mdpi.com/2227-9032/12/4/427>. Fecha de acceso: 5 abr. 2024. DOI: 10.3390/healthcare12040427
This item appears in the following Collection(s)
- Ciències de la Salut [745]
Rights
© 2024 by the authors. Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland. This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY) license (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/).
Except where otherwise noted, this item's license is described as http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/