Development and reliability of the Achilles Tendon Length Measure and comparison with the Achilles Tendon Resting Angle on patients with an Achilles tendon rupture

Maria Swennergren Hansen, Kristoffer Weisskirchner Barfod, Morten Tange Kristensen

15 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

BACKGROUND: There is a need for a valid, reliable, and easily applicable clinical measure of the length of the Achilles tendon (AT) after rupture. This study examines the reliability of a new ruler based measurement, the Achilles Tendon Length Measure (ATLM) in comparison with the goniometer-based Achilles Tendon Resting Angle (ATRA).

METHODS: Measurements were performed by two independent physiotherapists eight weeks after AT rupture on 28 patients treated non-operatively.

RESULTS: The mean (SD) injured ATLM was 56.5 (2.3)cm, ICC2.1 0.91(CI [0.72-0.97]), SEM 0.7cm (SEM% 1.2), MDC 1.9cm (MDC% 3.4). Corresponding data for the injured ATRA was mean 64.4° (3.9°), ICC2.1 0.84 (CI [0.68-0-92]), SEM 1.5° (SEM% 2.4), MDC 4.3° (MDC% 6.6).

CONCLUSION: Both ATLM and ATRA showed excellent inter-rater reliability with low measurement error. Both measurements seem easy to use in clinical practice and potentially providing an indirect measure of the length of the AT after rupture.

Original languageEnglish
JournalFoot and Ankle Surgery
Volume23
Issue number4
Pages (from-to)275-280
ISSN1268-7731
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - Dec 2017

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