Objectives: Achilles tendinopathy (AT) is associated with persistent pain which can lead to significant physical and psychological burden. Research to date has mainly focused on the physical implications of AT, with no such research utilising qualitative methodologies. Despite recognition of the role of psychosocial variables in persistent musculoskeletal disorders; there is a particular lack of qualitative research investigating the psychosocial factors in AT. The aim of this qualitative research was to investigate the lived experiences of people with AT. The objectives of this study are relevant and pertinent to the treatment and management of people with this condition.
Methodology: Participants were recruited through an AT strengthening study conducted in the University of Limerick via word-of-mouth. Additional recruitment took place in the local community which included numerous running clubs; by means of email, and by word of mouth. A qualitative, interpretive description design was utilised. Semi-structured individual interviews via telephone were recorded via Dictaphone and transcribed verbatim. These were then analysed by two independent researchers. The questioning route was based on a literature review of qualitative research investigating the effects of tendinopathy and chronic shoulder pain on those affected. An interpretive phenomenological analysis approach was used in order to explore the research question.
Results: Five participants (4 male, 1 female) were included in the study, as data saturation had been reached and no new emerging themes were identified. Three key themes were extrapolated from the data; (1) The impact of pain on daily life (2) Coping strategies adapted to ease and prevent pain (3) Frustration as an emotional impact from the experience.
Conclusion: This study suggests that there is a significant psychosocial impact associated with AT. There is a need for clinicians to appreciate and also understand the experiences of people with Achilles tendinopathy in order to effectively and appropriately manage AT. Clinicians should also be aware of the emotional impact that a chronic condition such as this imposes on the patient. A limitation to this paper would be the small sample size; as an increased sample size may have elicited the emergence of more themes. Further qualitative research in this field would be beneficial to optimise management strategies for this condition.
References:
Cook, J. (2013). Management of patellar tendinopathy. Journal of Science and Medicine in Sport, 16, p.e2.
DiCicco-Bloom, B. and Crabtree, B. (2006). The qualitative research interview. Med Educ, 40(4), pp.314-321.
Littlewood, C., Malliaras, P., Mawson, S., May, S. and Walters, S. (2014) 'Patients with rotator cuff tendinopathy can successfully self-manage, but with certain caveats: a qualitative study', Physiotherapy, 100(1), 80-85.
Nyman, P., Palenius, K., Panula, H. and Mälkiä, P. P. T. E. (2012) 'Patients' experiences of shoulder problems prior to and following intervention', Physiotherapy Theory & Practice, 28(3), 221-231.
Smith, J., Flowers, P. and Larkin, M. (2009) Interpretive Phenomenological Analysis: Theory, Methods, Research: Phenomenology, Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.
ETHICAL APPROVAL: YES
Granted by the local education and Health Sciences Research Ethics Committee in the University of Limerick (EHSREC2014-0514)
