Oslo Sports Trauma Research Center

Intoduction

In a recent study from Oslo Sports Trauma Research Center, a new treatment method involving sclerosing treatment on a group of elite athletes with chronic painful patellar tendinopathy was investigated. These ultrasound-guided injections of the sclerosing substance polidocanol, resulted in a significant improvement in knee function and reduced pain in this group of patients.

In this randomized double-blind placebo-controlled study, we recruited 33 patients with 42 tendons mainly from the Norwegian elite division in basketball, team handball and volleyball. The study was divided into two treatment periods. During treatment period I, patients in the treatment group received sclerosing injections and patients in the control group received placebo injections. At the 4-month follow-up (after the end of the treatment period I) the patients in both groups were offered sclerosing injections (treatment period II). Pain and function was recorded using VISA score before the start of treatment, and at the end of treatment period I, after the end of treatment period II, and 12 months after the first injection.

 
The treatment group who received sclerosing injections reported a significant improvement in VISA score during treatment period I, while there was no change for the control group who received placebo injections. After treatment period II, the control group had a greater improvement in VISA score from treatment period I to treatment period II for the placebo group compared with the treatment group. Both groups taken together, the VISA score was significant improved from baseline to the end of treatment period II. There was no further time or group effect in VISA score to the 12-month follow up.