Author Identifier (ORCID)
Myles C. Murphy: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6068-1096
Abstract
To assess the level of agreement among experts on the heel raise exercise parameters that influence midportion and insertional Achilles tendinopathy (AT) rehabilitation outcomes. An international expert panel in AT rehabilitation was invited to complete a three-round Delphi survey. In the first two rounds, experts were asked to review a pregenerated list of exercise parameters (based on the heel raise exercise) and rate their perceived influence on rehabilitation outcome, using a 5-point Likert scale. For each parameter, consensus criteria for major influence on rehabilitation were (a) median≥4, (b) ≥75% of scoring 4 or 5 and (c) IQR≤1. The third round aimed to rank the exercise parameters according to importance (from most to least important) during rehabilitation. 17 experts participated in the entire Delphi process. A total of 16 exercise parameters were assessed, of which 4 (intensity of contraction, total time under tension, number of repetitions and sets, type of contraction) reached consensus as having a major influence on rehabilitation for midportion AT and 3 reached consensus for insertional AT (range of ankle dorsiflexion during the exercise, intensity of contraction, number of repetitions and sets). The rankings of parameters that reached consensus showed that contraction intensity was perceived as the most important variable for midportion AT rehabilitation, while range of ankle dorsiflexion was deemed the most important variable for insertional AT rehabilitation. This study identified key exercise parameters for mid-portion and insertional AT rehabilitation based on expert opinion. This information should assist practitioners in optimising their approach to deliver more effective, patient-specific exercises for AT rehabilitation.
Document Type
Journal Article
Date of Publication
1-1-2025
Volume
59
Publication Title
British Journal of Sports Medicine
Publisher
BMJ Publishing Group
School
Nutrition and Health Innovation Research Institute / School of Medical and Health Sciences
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial 4.0 License
First Page
1337
Last Page
1349
Comments
Demangeot, Y., O’Neill, S., Degache, F., Rapin, A., Asgher, U., Alfredson, H., Chester, R., Chimenti, R. L., De Vos, R., Escriche-Escuder, A., Farnqvist, K., Habets, B., Maffulli, N., Magnusson, S. P., Malliaras, P., Murphy, M. C., Purdam, C. R., Rees, J. D., Rio, E. K., . . . Taiar, R. (2025). Exercise parameters to consider for Achilles tendinopathy: A modified Delphi study with international experts. British Journal of Sports Medicine, 59, 1337–1349. https://doi.org/10.1136/bjsports-2025-110183