Execution:
- Patient is in prone-lying position with the feet hanging off the table and the ankle in neutral or slight plantarflexed position
- The examiner palpates the Achilles tendon for tenderness until a tender spot is found
- The patient is asked to move the ankle into maximal dorsiflexion and the examiner palpates the previously found tender spot
- The patient is asked to then move the ankle into maximal plantarflexion and the examiner palpates the previously found tender spot again
Positive Outcome: This test is indicative of Achilles tendinopathy if the pain on the tender spot initially found is absent in the maximally dorsiflexed position
Study | Reliability | Sn | Sp | LR+ | LR- |
Reiman et al. (2014) | NA | 54 | 86 | 3.84 | 0.54 |
Comment: In midportion tendinopathy, tenderness is commonly felt 2-5cm from the calcaneal insertion and right at the calcaneus in insertional Achilles tendinopathy |