Limiting Tendon Compression in Insertional Achilles Tendinopathy Rehabilitation: A Randomized Clinical Trial

Physical therapists and physical therapist assistants who treat runners and other sport-active adults with heel pain at the Achilles insertion, and who want to know what a head-to-head trial found when rehabilitation limited compression at the tendon insertion.

Physical therapists and physical therapist assistants in outpatient orthopedic, sports and performance settings; athletic trainers and other rehabilitation clinicians managing lower limb tendinopathy may also find the material relevant.

Intended audience

Physical Therapy

Level

Intermediate

Delivery format

Online, asynchronous, self-paced course: interactive reading with audio or video, and a scored post-test.

Based on

This course is based on a single randomized clinical trial:

Pringels L, Capelleman R, Van den Abeele A, Burssens A, Planckaert G, Wezenbeek E, Vanden Bossche L. Effectiveness of reducing tendon compression in the rehabilitation of insertional Achilles tendinopathy: a randomised clinical trial. Br J Sports Med. 2025;59(9):640-650. doi:10.1136/bjsports-2024-109138. PMID: 40011018. PMCID: PMC12171478.

Trial registration: ClinicalTrials.gov ID NCT05456620.

All findings, figures and conclusions presented here come from that report. No outside data has been added.

After completing this course, you will be able to:

1. Describe the two rehabilitation programs compared in this trial and the specific ways the low-compression program limited load at the Achilles insertion.
2. State what the trial found for tendon pain and function, patient satisfaction and return to desired sport at 12 and 24 weeks.
3. Explain the limits the authors placed on their own findings, including who was studied and what the trial could not determine about individual program components.

1. Start Here: Course Overview and How to Earn Credit
2. Podcast: Compression, Dorsiflexion and the Insertional Achilles (about nine minutes)
3. Why the Insertional Achilles Has Been the Harder One to Rehabilitate
4. Inside the GhenTendon Trial: Who Was Enrolled and What Each Group Did
5. What the Trial Found at 12 and 24 Weeks
6. Where the Findings Stop: Limitations the Authors Acknowledged
7. From Trial to Treatment Room: What the Authors Concluded
8. Key Takeaways
9. Post-Test and Course Evaluation

Quinn Millington, PT, DPT, ECS is the instructor of record: the licensed clinician who reviewed this course and signed off on it. The name and credentials print on the certificate.

Disclosures. This course was developed by The ConEd Solution, which has a financial interest in its sale. No outside funding or sponsorship was received. The instructor of record has no affiliation with the authors of the source publication or their institutions.

This course awards 0.5 contact hours (30 min). How you earn them:

1. Complete the course. Every lesson, in order.
2. Pass the post-test. Score 80% or higher. Retakes are allowed.
3. Complete the evaluation. A short form rating each learning objective and the course.
4. Download your certificate. It is issued on completion and stays available in My Account.

The episode time is its measured length. Reading, post-test and evaluation times are estimates.

This course is designed to satisfy the quality requirements state boards set for continuing education. Requirements vary by state, and confirming that a course fits your renewal is up to you. Each state’s own acceptance statement is in the credit panel on this page.

1. This course is based on a single randomized clinical trial:
2. Pringels L, Capelleman R, Van den Abeele A, Burssens A, Planckaert G, Wezenbeek E, Vanden Bossche L. Effectiveness of reducing tendon compression in the rehabilitation of insertional Achilles tendinopathy: a randomised clinical trial. Br J Sports Med. 2025;59(9):640-650. doi:10.1136/bjsports-2024-109138. PMID: 40011018. PMCID: PMC12171478.
3. Trial registration: ClinicalTrials.gov ID NCT05456620.
4. All findings, figures and conclusions presented here come from that report. No outside data has been added.