Improvement responses in patellar tendinopathy patients treated with ultrasound-guided galvanic electrolysis technique: a 3-year follow-up study

Abstract

Purpose: To determine the pattern changes over time in patients who experience different effects on the Victorian Institute of Sport Assessment–Patella score (VISA-P), International Knee Documentation Committee (IKDC), Kujala score and Tegner activity score following 3 years of follow-up after an ultrasound-guided galvanic electrolysis technique (USGET) intervention in patellar tendinopathy. Methods: Fifty-one adult patients with patellar tendinopathy were followed for 3 years after undergoing USGET. Clinical evaluations were conducted at baseline, 3-, 6-, 12-, 24- and 36-month postintervention, evaluating the VISA-P, IKDC, Kujala score and Tegner activity score. The intervention was applied bimonthly for 3 months, accompanied by a biweekly standardised therapeutic exercises routine. Clinical outcomes were analysed with latent growth linear modelling (α = 5%), which assesses individual trajectories of change over time, capturing both initial status (intercepts) and rate of change (slopes) while accounting for variability across subjects. […]