Achilles tendinopathy management: A pilot randomised controlled trial comparing platelet-rich plasma injection with an eccentric loading programme

20 patients with a clinical diagnosis of mid-substance Achilles tendinopathy were randomized to compare the efficacy of two nonoperative interventions: platelet-rich plasma (PRP) injections and an eccentric loading programme. Patients were evaluated over 6 months with the VISA-A questionnaire and the EuroQol 5-Dimension questionnaire (EQ-5D). The evidence presented in this study indicated that VISA-A score was better in the platelet-rich plasma (PRP) injection group compared to eccentric loading programme group, but this difference was not significant. Furthermore, no significant differences between groups were observed for the EQ-5D between groups, and no complications were associated with either treatment. This evidence demonstrates the feasibility of larger trial examining these treatment modalities.