Article Text
PDF
Statistics from Altmetric.com
What did I do?
The aim of my PhD was to evaluate the impact of Achilles tendinopathy, to assess the role of ultrasonographic imaging and to assess socio-economic status as a prognostic factor in Achilles tendinopathy patients.
Why did I do it?
Achilles tendinopathy is a common condition causing pain, decreased mobility and impaired quality of life. Despite the impact, inconsistencies in outcome measures, unclear diagnostic imaging standards and gaps in prognostic factors hinder clinical practice and research.1 My work aimed to address these challenges to optimise diagnosis, treatment and monitoring in patient care.
How did I do it?
To address the inconsistencies in outcome measures (as identified by a previously conducted systematic review1 in which I had no role), I co-led an international Delphi survey among international experts and patients with Achilles tendinopathy. The aim was to establish a core outcome set for Achilles tendinopathy (COS-AT)for use in clinical trials, ensuring uniform reporting standards. Recognising the lack of reference values for calf muscle endurance, I performed a large cross-sectional study to determine normative values for the single-leg heel-rise test (HRET) and created an open-access calculator to assist clinicians in assessing patient progress. To understand the burden of Achilles tendinopathy on patients’ lives, I conducted a cross-sectional study that assessed quality of life, healthcare …
Footnotes
Contributors TSV: guarantor. TSV wrote the doctoral thesis. The individual papers contain detailed information about contributorship.
Funding Part of the work forming this thesis was funded by the Erasmus MC foundation and the Vereniging Trustfonds Erasmus Universiteit Rotterdam.
Competing interests None declared.
Provenance and peer review Not commissioned; externally peer reviewed.