Tendinopathy is a common injury among athletes, where the incidence reaches 50%.
Nevertheless, industrial workers as well as sedentary subjects may also undergo this pain
condition.
Achilles tendon is a frequent lower-limb tissue where tendinopathy may arise. Achilles
tendinopathy risk factors have been detailed, such as: age, mechanical axis deviation of
lower limbs, excessive training load dosage, and type of work activity. The middle portion of
the tendon is the area where Achilles tendinopathy is most likely to be located.
Interestingly, correlation between pain severity and the degree of tissue degeneration by
imaging diagnosis is hardly showed in chronic tendinopathy conditions. Thus, chronic
tendinopathy pain may be mediated not only by peripheral but by central mechanisms.
Percutaneous Therapeutic Electrolysis (EPTE® System; Manual EPTE, 2014 IONCLINICS & DEIONIC,
S.L.) is an electronic device that enables to treat accurately, guided by an ultrasound, the
tendon injured area by penetrating the skin with an acupuncture needle. A galvanic current
goes through the device to the needle so that the first stage of physiological regenerative
process may be obtained. That is due to a chemical reaction that leads to a controlled
alkaline burn into the injured tissue and a subsequent basification of extracellular medium.
That elicits an inflammatory response; the destroyed tissue is metabolized by phagocytosis
process. Design: Randomized Controlled Clinical Trial. Objectives: To know the effectiveness
of Percutaneous Therapeutic Electrolysis (EPTE®) versus a sham intervention at improving pain
and function in patients who undergo Achilles Chronic Tendinopathy, and to determine the
efficiency of Percutaneous Therapeutic Electrolysis (EPTE®) with monopolar needle versus
Percutaneous Therapeutic Electrolysis (EPTE®) with bipolar needle at improving pain and
function in patients who undergo Achilles Chronic Tendinopathy. Participants: patients
diagnosed with Achilles Chronic Tendinopathy. Setting. Infanta Leonor Hospital, Madrid,
Spain. Experimental intervention: Percutaneous Therapeutic Electrolysis (EPTE®) with
monopolar needle, 330 microamps, 1 min 20 sec versus bipolar needle. Sham intervention: the
guide tube of the needle contacted with the skin and the electrolysis device remained
switched on to simulate its functioning.