IMR Press / FBL / Volume 26 / Issue 11 / DOI: 10.52586/5017
Open Access Original Research
A new ultrasound-guided percutaneous electrolysis and exercise treatment in patellar tendinopathy: three case reports
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1 Musculoskeletal Pain and Motor Control Research Group, Faculty of Health Sciences, Universidad Europea de Madrid, 28670 Madrid, Spain
2 Department of Physiotherapy, Faculty of Biomedical and Health Sciences, Universidad Europea de Madrid, 28670 Villaviciosa de Odón, Madrid, Spain
3 Musculoskeletal Pain and Motor Control Research Group, Faculty of Health Sciences, Universidad Europea de Canarias, 38300 Tenerife, Canary Islands, Spain
4 Department of Physical Therapy, Faculty of Medicine, CEU-San Pablo University, 28668 Madrid, Spain
5 Multidisciplinary Pain Treatment Center ONELIFE, 28925 Madrid, Spain
6 IRCCS Fondazione Don Carlo Gnocchi, 20161 Milan, Italy
*Correspondence: eleuterio.sanchez@universidadeuropea.es (Eleuterio A. Sánchez Romero)
Front. Biosci. (Landmark Ed) 2021, 26(11), 1166–1175; https://doi.org/10.52586/5017
Submitted: 18 June 2021 | Revised: 19 August 2021 | Accepted: 20 August 2021 | Published: 30 November 2021
Copyright: © 2021 The Author(s). Published by BRI.
This is an open access article under the CC BY 4.0 license (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/).
Abstract

Purpose: To present preliminary clinical results of the effects of a new treatment with percutaneous electrolysis directed to peripheral tendon and therapeutic resistance exercise, with or without the presence of degenerative zone. Methods: 3 patients with patellar tendinopathy aged 37–45 years with diagnostic of patellar tendinopathy with pain since 5–8 weeks were treated with a novel, less invasive electrolysis technique. Pain severity was measured by Numerical Pain Rating Scale (NPRS). Lower limb functionality was measured by a Victorian Institute of Sport Assessment questionnaire (VISA-P). A clinical interview and ultrasonography assesment were performed before study protocol were carried out. Each participants received 4 to 7 sessions of percutaneous electrolysis (350 μA, 80 s) leaving at least one week between sessions during a total of 8 weeks. During this time, subjects also were undergone a therapeutic exercise protocol of lower limbs resistance training. Results: Pain severity decreased after 3 weeks treatment (p = 0.01) and was practically abolished after 4–7 sessions at 8 weeks (p = 0.2). The lower limb functionality (VISA-P) increased after 3 weeks treatment and the major difference was found at 8 weeks post-intervention (p = 0.001). Thickness of the patellar tendon decreased after 8 weeks treatment (p = 0.01). Conclusions: The present work provides the first evidence that percutaneous electrolysis with a least invasive physiotherapy treatment targeted to peripheral tendon in combination with therapeutic resistance exercise diminished pain, improved funcitonality and showed a tendency to decreased thickness in subjects with patelallar tendinopathy.

Keywords
Tendinopathy
Ultrasonography
Percutaneous electrolysis
Figures
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