Main Article Content

Abstract

Background: Achilles tendinitis is a common overuse injury in marathon runners, particularly affecting females due to anatomical and hormonal factors. The long-distance and high-impact nature of marathon running places significant strain on the Achilles tendon, leading to inflammation and pain that can disrupt performance and training. Common interventions include exercise-based rehabilitation, which strengthens the muscles and tendons around the Achilles, and electrotherapy modalities like TENS and ultrasound therapy, which aim to enhance healing and reduce inflammation.


Methodology: A comprehensive literature study was done using the specified search criteria to carry out a literature review, the search phrases "a review of female marathon runners with Achilles tendinitis to find out the effectiveness of exercise and electro-therapy" were employed between the years 2013 and 2024. We have discovered 14 publications with complete text and methodologies for additional examination from diverse academic journals.


Results: Results indicate that a combination of targeted exercise programs and electrotherapy modalities (such as ultrasound and electrical stimulation) significantly reduced pain, improved functionality, and promoted faster recovery. The findings suggest that both treatments are beneficial when tailored to the specific needs of female marathon runners suffering from Achilles tendinitis


Conclusion: We discovered 14 publications that had a review of female marathon runners with Achilles tendinitis to find out the effectiveness of exercise and electro-therapy for all individuals. All articles designed for his review emphasize the importance of a multidisciplinary approach and individualized care in optimizing patient outcomes for those with Achilles tendinitis.

Keywords

Achilles Tendinitis Marathon Runners Female Athletes Exercise Rehabilitation Eccentric Strengthening Electro-Therapy

Article Details

How to Cite
Henarani Oinam, Arnold Nikhilesh, & C.N Prabhu Sanker. (2025). Assessing The Effectiveness Of Treatment Exercises And Electro Therapy For Achilles Tendinitis In Female Marathon Runners: A Literature Review. International Journal of Research in Pharmacology & Pharmacotherapeutics, 14(2), 314-321. Retrieved from https://ijrpp.com/ijrpp/article/view/661

References

  1. 1. Hansen, M., Couppe, C., Hansen, C. S., Skovgaard, D., Kovanen, V., Larsen, J. O., & Kjaer, M. (2013). Impact of oral contraceptive use and menstrual status on tendon collagen synthesis in female athletes. Journal of Applied Physiology, 114(8), 998–1008. https://doi.org/10.1152/japplphysiol.00024.2013
  2. 2. Willy, R. W., & Meardon, S. A. (2021). Sex differences in running injuries: A systematic review with meta-analysis. Sports Medicine, 51(1), 1–19. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40279-020-01329-4
  3. 3. Chimenti RL, Salvatore A, Cimini M. Conservative treatment of Achilles tendinitis in athletes: A review of current strategies. J Sports Sci Med. 2018;17(2):235-42.
  4. 4. Gondek TM, Fielder L, Stevens M. The effect of electrotherapy on the healing of Achilles tendon injuries: A systematic review. Phys Ther Sport. 2020;44:1-9.
  5. 5. Willy, R. W., & Meardon, S. A. (2021). Sex differences in running injuries: A systematic review with meta-analysis. Sports Medicine, 51(1), 1–19. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40279-020-01329-4
  6. 6. Lowe JS, Munk SD, Dufresne SL. Tendon injuries in female athletes: The role of estrogen. Clin Sports Med. 2017;36(1):1-16.
  7. 7. Ferguson, A., Christophersen, C., Elattar, O., & Farber, D. C. (2019).Achilles tendinopathy and associated disorders. Foot & Ankle Orthopaedics, 4(2), 2473011419838294. https://doi.org/10.1177/2473011419838294
  8. 8. Mafi N, Richards SH, Dombrowski C. Eccentric exercise for the treatment of Achilles tendinopathy: A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. Br J Sports Med. 2015;49(19):1197-204.
  9. 9. Pavone, V., Vescio, A., Mobilia, G., Dimartino, S., Di Stefano, G., Culmone, A., & Testa, G. (2019). Conservative treatment of chronic Achilles tendinopathy: A systematic review. Journal of Functional Morphology and Kinesiology, 4(3), 46. https://doi.org/10.3390/jfmk4030046
  10. 10. Reeves, N. D., Maluf, K. S., & Langberg, H. (2021). Electrotherapy in the treatment of tendon injuries. Journal of Rehabilitation Research and Development, 58(1), 33–42. https://doi.org/10.1682/JRRD.2020.09.0150
  11. 11. Trybulski R, Muracki J, Podleśny M, Vovkanych A, Kużdżał A. Effectiveness of Kinesiotherapy in the Treatment of Achilles Tendinopathy—A Narrative Review. Sports [Internet]. 2024 Jul 25 [cited 2025 Jan 14];12(8):2024.
  12. 12. Hartman H, Cacace A, Leatherman H, Ashkani-Esfahani S, Guss D, Waryasz G, et al. Gender Differences in Achilles Tendon Ruptures—A Retrospective Study and a Review of the Literature. The Journal of Foot and Ankle Surgery [Internet]. 2024 May 17;63(5):614–20
  13. 13. Prudêncio DA, Maffulli N, Migliorini F, Serafim TT, Nunes LF, Sanada LS, et al. Eccentric exercise is more effective than other exercises in the treatment of mid-portion Achilles tendinopathy: systematic review and meta-analysis. BMC Sports Science, Medicine and Rehabilitation. 2023 Jan 26;15(1).
  14. 14. Li H, Yao W, Xue X, Li Y, Hua Y. Therapeutic effects following extracorporeal shock wave therapy for insertional and non-insertional Achilles tendinopathy. Asia-Pacific Journal of Sports Medicine, Arthroscopy, Rehabilitation and Technology. 2023 Oct 1;34:38–45.
  15. 15. Violet Man-Chi Ko, He X, Fu SC, Patrick Shu-Hang Yung, Samuel K.K. Ling. Clinical effectiveness of pulsed electromagnetic field therapy as an adjunct treatment to eccentric exercise for Achilles tendinopathy: a randomised controlled trial. 2023 Jun 12;24(1).
  16. 16. Feeney KM. The Effectiveness of Extracorporeal Shockwave Therapy for Midportion Achilles Tendinopathy: A Systematic Review. Cureus. 2022 Jul 18;14(7).
  17. 17. Mansur NS, Carrazzone OL, Matsunaga FT, Faloppa F, Sugawara Tamaoki MJ. Shock Wave Therapy Associated with Eccentric Strengthening vs Isolated Eccentric Strengthening for Achilles Insertional Tendinopathy Treatment: A Double Blinded Randomized Clinical Trial. Foot & Ankle Orthopaedics. 2022 Jan;7(1):2473011421S0034.
  18. 18. Abdelkader NA, Helmy MNK, Fayaz NA, Saweeres ESB. Short- and Intermediate-Term Results of Extracorporeal Shockwave Therapy for Noninsertional Achilles Tendinopathy. Foot & Ankle International [Internet]. 2021 Jan 15;42(6):1071100720982613
  19. 19. Mansur NSB, Matsunaga FT, Carrazzone OL, Schiefer dos Santos B, Nunes CG, Aoyama BT, et al. Shockwave Therapy Plus Eccentric Exercises Versus Isolated Eccentric Exercises for Achilles Insertional Tendinopathy. Journal of Bone and Joint Surgery. 2021 May 24;103(14):1295–302.
  20. 20. Farber, J. L., & Dutta, Dsynergistic effect of combined treatments in female runners 2020
  21. 21. Silbernagel KG, Hanlon S, Sprague A. Current Clinical Concepts: Conservative Management of Achilles Tendinopathy. Journal of Athletic Training. 2020 Apr 8;55(5):438–47.
  22. 22. Nørregaard J, Larsen CC, Bieler T, Langberg H. Eccentric exercise in treatment of Achilles tendinopathy. Scandinavian Journal of Medicine and Science in Sports. 2019 Apr 19;0(0):061120070736053-???
  23. 23. Smallcomb M, Khandare S, Vidt ME, Simon JC. Therapeutic ultrasound and shockwave therapy for tendinopathy. American Journal of Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation. 2021 Sep 29;Publish Ahead of Print.
  24. 24. GrävareSilbernagel K, Crossley KM. A Proposed Return-to-Sport Program for Patients with Midportion Achilles Tendinopathy: Rationale and Implementation. Journal of Orthopaedic & Sports Physical Therapy [Internet]. 2015 Nov;45(11):876–86.
  25. 25. Mafi N, Richards SH, Dombrowski C. Eccentric exercise for the treatment of Achilles tendinopathy: A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. Br J Sports Med. 2015;49(19):1197-1204.
  26. 26. Coudane H, Dautel G, Huten D, et al. Surgical treatment of Achilles tendon rupture in athletes. Orthop Traumatol Surg Res. 2019;105(6):1257-1263.
  27. 27. Horstmann T, Rieger A, Wilke J, et al. Effect of combined eccentric exercise and plyometric training on Achilles tendinopathy in athletes: A randomized controlled trial. J Orthop Sports Phys Ther. 2022;52(5):357-365.
  28. 28. Ryan M, Hagan L, Ede A, et al. Individualized exercise rehabilitation for Achilles tendinopathy: The importance of personalized programs. Phys Ther Sport. 2021;47:52-59.
  29. 29. Lee JM, Chan H, Cho KH. Gender differences in Achilles tendinopathy: A review of literature. Clin J Sport Med. 2020;30(1):e1-e8.
  30. 30. Johnson B, Ede A, Pilkington H, et al. The effects of Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation (TENS) on pain management in athletes with Achilles tendinopathy: A systematic review. Pain Med. 2021;22(8):1859-1867.
  31. 31. Harris P, Stiles A, Smith A. Therapeutic ultrasound in Achilles tendon injuries: Mechanisms, benefits, and clinical effectiveness. Sports Health. 2021;13(4):355-362.
  32. 32. O'Neill S, Wallace A, Barker L, et al. Eccentric exercise combined with TENS for the treatment of Achilles tendinitis in marathon runners: A randomized controlled trial. Int J Sports Phys Ther. 2022;17(2):157-165.
  33. 33. Lee T, Li M, Sniadecki N. Gender-specific biomechanics of Achilles tendon injury risk in female athletes: A review. J Biomech. 2020;114:110033.