RT Journal Article
SR Electronic
T1 Incidence of midportion Achilles tendinopathy in the general population
JF British Journal of Sports Medicine
JO Br J Sports Med
FD BMJ Publishing Group Ltd and British Association of Sport and Exercise Medicine
SP 1026
OP 1028
DO 10.1136/bjsports-2011-090342
VO 45
IS 13
A1 S de Jonge
A1 C van den Berg
A1 R J de Vos
A1 H J L van der Heide
A1 A Weir
A1 J A N Verhaar
A1 S M A Bierma-Zeinstra
A1 J L Tol
YR 2011
UL http://bjsm.bmj.com/content/45/13/1026.abstract
AB Background Achilles tendon disorders, like Achilles tendinopathy, are very common among athletes. In the general population, however, knowledge about the incidence of Achilles tendinopathy is lacking. Design Cross-sectional study. Methods In a cohort of 57.725 persons registered in primary care, the number of patients visiting the general practitioner (GP) with diagnosis of mid-portion Achilles tendon problems was counted using computerised registration networks of GPs in 2009. Subsequently, the authors assessed associations of these rates with demographic characteristics. Results The incidence rate of Achilles tendinopathy is 1.85 per 1,000 Dutch GP registered patients. In the adult population (21–60 years), the incidence rate is 2.35 per 1,000. In 35% of the cases, a relationship with sports activity was recorded. Conclusion This is the first report on incidence rates of mid-portion Achilles tendinopathy in general practice. With an incidence of 1.85 per 1,000 registered persons, Achilles tendinopathy is frequently seen by GPs. The actual incidence might even be higher due to study limitations. More research on the frequency of this injury is required.