CUHK Achilles Tendon Disorder Registry

NCT07330414 | Not Yet Recruiting

• 1 other identifier: 2025.699
• Study Type: observational
• Target: 200
• Locations: 0 countries
• Sites: N/A

Brief Summary

This is a long-term research registry for patients with Achilles tendon disorders (like tears, chronic pain, or ruptures) as well as healthy adults without tendon problems. The goal is to collect detailed information over time to understand which treatments work best for different people, identify risk factors for injury, and improve overall care. Adults over 18, both with and without Achilles tendon conditions, are eligible to join. Participants will attend several assessment visits at the Prince of Wales Hospital over the first year (at the start, 6 weeks, 3, 4, 6, and 12 months) for physical tests, ultrasounds, and questionnaires. After the first year, follow-up continues with annual online questionnaires for up to five years. The main measure is a standard questionnaire about tendon pain and function (VISA-A). The study aims to use this information to guide better, more personalized rehabilitation strategies, improve patient outcomes, and reduce long-term disability. All participation is voluntary and requires written consent.

Conditions

Achilles Tendon Injury; Achilles Tendon; Achilles Tendon Pain

Keywords

Achilles tendinopathy; Achilles tendon rupture; Achilles tendinitis

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcomes (1)

• Victorian Institute of Sports Assessment (VISA-A)

  The primary outcome measure will be the Victorian Institute of Sport Assessment (VISA-A) questionnaire, available in either the original English or validated Chinese version, depending on the participant's native language. This specific scoring system developed for the Achilles tendon is the most widely used score for clinical Achilles research. The VISA-A is scored on a scale of 0 to 100; lower scores indicate more severity of symptoms, while a score of 100 indicates a healthy and pain-free Achilles tendon.

  From enrollment to 5 years after baseline assessment

Secondary Outcomes (14)

• Numeric Pain Rating Scale (NPRS)

  From enrollment to 5 years after baseline assessment

• Foot and Ankle Outcome Scores (FAOS)

  From enrollment to 5 years after baseline assessment

• Achilles tendon resting angle (ATRA)

  From enrollment to 1 year after baseline assessment

• Royal London hospital test

  From enrollment to 1 year after baseline assessment

• Calf Muscle Strength

  From enrollment to 1 year after baseline assessment

Study Arms (2)

Healthy group

Healthy individuals without any Achilles tendon injury

Achilles tendon disorder group

Individuals with any Achilles tendon disorder

Eligibility Criteria

• Age: 18 Years+
• Sex: all
• Healthy Volunteers: Yes
• Age Groups: Adult (18-64), Older Adult (65+)
• Sampling Method: Non-Probability Sample

Study Population

Hong Kong Residents

You may qualify if:

• Adults (\>18 years of age)

You may not qualify if:

• Any physical or psychological comorbidity that would impair the ability to complete study assessments (e.g., significant neurological deficits) or preclude the provision of informed consent.
• Concomitant diseases that severely affect lower limb function or assessment (e.g., severe osteoarthritis of the knee or hip, prior lower limb amputation, peripheral vascular disease, active rheumatoid arthritis, lower limb paralysis, etc.)

Sponsors & Collaborators

• Chinese University of Hong Kong: lead

Related Publications (2)

• Ko VM, He X, Fu SC, Yung PS, Ling SK. Clinical effectiveness of pulsed electromagnetic field therapy as an adjunct treatment to eccentric exercise for Achilles tendinopathy: a randomised controlled trial. Trials. 2023 Jun 12;24(1):394. doi: 10.1186/s13063-023-07434-6.

  PMID: 37308969 BACKGROUND

• Ko VM, Chen SC, He X, Fu SC, Franco-Obregon A, Yung PS, Ling SK. Short-term Effects of Pulsed Electromagnetic Field Therapy for Achilles Tendinopathy: A Randomized Controlled Trial. Orthop J Sports Med. 2024 Nov 12;12(11):23259671241284772. doi: 10.1177/23259671241284772. eCollection 2024 Nov.

  PMID: 39534390 BACKGROUND

Central Study Contacts

Dr. Samuel Ka-Kin Ling

CONTACT

852-3505-2010; samuel.ling@cuhk.edu.hk

Wenjie Pan

CONTACT

852-2636-4171; wenjiepan@cuhk.edu.hk

Study Design

• Study Type: observational
• Observational Model: COHORT
• Time Perspective: PROSPECTIVE
• Target Duration: 5 Years
• Sponsor Type: OTHER
• Responsible Party: PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR
• PI Title: Clinical Assistant Professor of Orthopaedics and Traumatology, CUHK Head of the Foot and Ankle Team / Honorary Associate Consultant, Prince of Wales Hospital Specialist in Orthopaedics and Traumatology, CUHK Medical Centre

Study Record Dates

• First Submitted: December 28, 2025
• First Posted: January 9, 2026
• Study Start: January 15, 2026
• Primary Completion (Estimated): December 15, 2030
• Study Completion (Estimated): December 30, 2030
• Last Updated: January 9, 2026

Record last verified: 2025-12