{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,9,3]],"date-time":"2026-09-03T03:15:19Z","timestamp":1788405319311,"version":"build-2803163510"},"reference-count":36,"publisher":"Wiley","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2026,9,2]],"date-time":"2026-09-02T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1788307200000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"http:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by-nc-nd\/4.0\/"},{"start":{"date-parts":[[2026,9,2]],"date-time":"2026-09-02T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1788307200000},"content-version":"tdm","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"http:\/\/doi.wiley.com\/10.1002\/tdm_license_1.1"}],"content-domain":{"domain":["arthroscopyjournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com"],"crossmark-restriction":true},"short-container-title":["Arthroscopy, Sports Medicine, and Rehabil."],"abstract":"<jats:sec>\n                    <jats:title>Purpose<\/jats:title>\n                    <jats:p>To evaluate a minimum 5\u2010year follow\u2010up of patients who were treated with either bipolar radiofrequency microtenotomy (RFM) or physical therapy (PT) for midportion Achilles tendinopathy between 2016 and 2018.<\/jats:p>\n                  <\/jats:sec>\n                  <jats:sec>\n                    <jats:title>Methods<\/jats:title>\n                    <jats:p>All subjects who participated in a previous randomized controlled trial (n\u2009=\u200938) between 2016 and 2018 were invited to fill out a questionnaire between January and July 2025 to evaluate the outcomes at a minimum of 5\u2010year follow\u2010up. Patients who had undergone further surgical treatment were excluded. Visual analog scale (VAS) for pain and Foot and Ankle Outcome Score (FAOS) were used to assess clinical outcomes.<\/jats:p>\n                  <\/jats:sec>\n                  <jats:sec>\n                    <jats:title>Results<\/jats:title>\n                    <jats:p>\n                      A total of 25 out of the 38 (66%) invited subjects were included: 13 (65%) in the RFM group and 12 (67%) in the PT group. Both treatment groups had significantly improved VAS at the minimum 5\u2010year follow\u2010up compared with preintervention. The RFM group improved from 7.3\u2009\u00b1\u20091.2 to 0.3\u2009\u00b1\u20090.8 (\n                      <jats:italic>P<\/jats:italic>\n                      \u2009=\u2009.002), whereas the PT group improved from 5.7\u2009\u00b1\u20090.3 to 2.2\u2009\u00b1\u20092.6 (\n                      <jats:italic>P<\/jats:italic>\n                      \u2009=\u2009.010). The RFM group had significantly better VAS than the PT group at the minimum 5\u2010year follow\u2010up (\n                      <jats:italic>P<\/jats:italic>\n                      \u2009=\u2009.019). All parameters in the FAOS were significantly improved for patients in both the RFM group and the PT group. Quality of life was the only variable of the FAOS with significantly better results for RFM in comparison with PT (\n                      <jats:italic>P<\/jats:italic>\n                      \u2009=\u2009.047).\n                    <\/jats:p>\n                  <\/jats:sec>\n                  <jats:sec>\n                    <jats:title>Conclusions<\/jats:title>\n                    <jats:p>In this study, patients with chronic midportion Achilles tendinopathy reported significant improvements in VAS and FAOS 6 to 9 years after intervention with either RFM or PT. The RFM group reported significantly better outcomes in VAS and quality of life. However, because of loss to follow\u2010up, the study is underpowered, and the results should be interpreted with caution.<\/jats:p>\n                  <\/jats:sec>\n                  <jats:sec>\n                    <jats:title>Level of Evidence<\/jats:title>\n                    <jats:p>Level II, therapeutic, poor\u2010quality randomized controlled trial (&lt;80% f\/u).<\/jats:p>\n                  <\/jats:sec>","DOI":"10.1002\/ars2.70061","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2026,9,3]],"date-time":"2026-09-03T02:46:01Z","timestamp":1788403561000},"update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1002\/crossmark_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":0,"title":["Both Radiofrequency Microtenotomy and Physical Therapy Provide Significant Improvements in Patients With Chronic Midportion Achilles Tendinopathy at a Minimum 5\u2010Year Follow\u2010Up"],"prefix":"10.1002","author":[{"given":"Hayat","family":"Jirde Ali","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Orthopedic Research Group, Institute of Clinical Medicine University of Troms\u00f8, The Arctic University of Norway  Troms\u00f8 Norway"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-8966-5185","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Khaled","family":"Meknas","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Orthopedic Research Group, Institute of Clinical Medicine University of Troms\u00f8, The Arctic University of Norway  Troms\u00f8 Norway"},{"name":"Department of Orthopedics University Hospital of North Norway  Troms\u00f8 Norway"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"J\u00fcri\u2010Toomas","family":"Kartus","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Institution of Clinical Science Sahlgrenska Academy  Gothenburg Sweden"},{"name":"Department of Research and Development NU Hospital Group  Trollh\u00e4ttan Sweden"},{"name":"Department of Orthopedics NU Hospital Group  Trollh\u00e4ttan Sweden"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0009-0009-0678-0582","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Dana","family":"Meknas","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Orthopedic Research Group, Institute of Clinical Medicine University of Troms\u00f8, The Arctic University of Norway  Troms\u00f8 Norway"},{"name":"Department of Orthopedics University Hospital of North Norway  Troms\u00f8 Norway"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"311","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2026,9,2]]},"reference":[{"key":"e_1_2_7_2_1","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"495","DOI":"10.1097\/JSM.0000000000000636","article-title":"Quality\u2010of\u2010life in Achilles tendinopathy: An exploratory study","volume":"30","author":"Ceravolo ML","year":"2020","journal-title":"Clin J Sport Med."},{"key":"e_1_2_7_3_1","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1114","DOI":"10.1186\/s12891-022-06090-2","article-title":"Psychosocial and individual factors affecting Quality of Life (QoL) in patients suffering from Achilles tendinopathy: A systematic review","volume":"23","author":"Verges J","year":"2022","journal-title":"BMC Musculoskelet Disord."},{"key":"e_1_2_7_4_1","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"669","DOI":"10.1111\/j.1600-0838.2012.01509.x","article-title":"Epidemiology of ankle and foot overuse injuries in sports: A systematic review","volume":"23","author":"Sobhani S","year":"2013","journal-title":"Scand J Med Sci Sports."},{"key":"e_1_2_7_5_1","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"3","DOI":"10.1111\/j.1600-0838.2007.00746.x","article-title":"Chronic tendinopathy tissue pathology, pain mechanisms, and etiology with a special focus on inflammation","volume":"18","author":"Fredberg U","year":"2008","journal-title":"Scand J Med Sci Sports."},{"key":"e_1_2_7_6_1","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"239","DOI":"10.1136\/bjsm.36.4.239","article-title":"Achilles tendinopathy: Some aspects of basic science and clinical management","volume":"36","author":"Kader D","year":"2002","journal-title":"Br J Sports Med."},{"key":"e_1_2_7_7_1","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1299","DOI":"10.1302\/0301-620X.95B10.31881","article-title":"Achilles tendinopathy: A review of the current concepts of treatment","volume":"95","author":"Roche AJ","year":"2013","journal-title":"Bone Joint J."},{"key":"e_1_2_7_8_1","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"327","DOI":"10.1249\/JSR.0000000000000855","article-title":"Achilles tendinopathy: Evaluation, rehabilitation, and prevention","volume":"20","author":"von Rickenbach KJ","year":"2021","journal-title":"Curr Sports Med Rep."},{"key":"e_1_2_7_9_1","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1367","DOI":"10.1007\/s00167-011-1535-8","article-title":"Mid\u2010portion Achilles tendinopathy: Why painful? 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