Participant characteristics are poorly reported in exercise trials in tendinopathy: A systematic review

Objective: To evaluate the reporting of eligibility criteria and baseline participant characteristics in randomised controlled trials investigating the effects of exercise interventions in tendinopathy. Methods: Randomised controlled trials investigating the effects of exercise therapy compared to a nonexercising intervention in upper and lower limb tendinopathy were included. Data extraction was categorised into the following domains: participant demographics, tendinopathy descriptors, general health, participant recruitment and eligibility criteria. Results: The review included the following tendinopathies: Achilles (n ¼ 9), gluteal (n ¼ 2), lateral elbow tendinopathy (n ¼ 15), patellar (n ¼ 3) plantar (n ¼ 3), and rotator cuff (n ¼ 13). Age, sex, duration of symptoms and symptom severity were commonly reported across the review, while prior history of tendinopathy was poorly reported (6/45). Variables such as physical activity level (17/45), sleep (0/45), psychological factors (2/45), medication at baseline (8/45), co morbid health complaints (10/45) and sociodemographic factors (11/45) were poorly reported across the included studies. Substantial variation existed between studies in the specific eligibility criteria used. Conclusion: The findings of this systematic review demonstrate that participant characteristics are poorly reported in exercise trials in tendinopathy. To improve effectiveness of exercise interventions in tendinopathy, improved reporting of participant