Eligible studies evaluated a treatment for patients with clinically diagnosed insertional tendinopathy (through confirmation of posterior heel pain located at the bone-tendon junction) and were of any type of study design except single-case studies, narrative reviews, technical notes and letters/personal opinion. Eligible studies had to differentiate between insertional and mid-substance tendinopathy. Functional outcomes or pain scores had to be reported.
The included studies evaluated adults of all ages whose symptom durations ranged from six weeks to longer than six months. Interventions included decompression of the retrocalcaneal bursa and the superior calcaneal tuberosity, surgical reconstruction, eccentric training programme, debridement with no/partial detachment of the tendon, shock wave therapy, retrocalcaneal decompression, sclerosing therapy and a central tendon splitting approach. Where comparative treatments were evaluated, these included shockwave therapy, debridement with complete detachment and standard practice (non-operative management).
Two reviewers independently assessed the papers for inclusion. Any differences were resolved by discussion.