Custom orthotic or Sham for mid tendon achilles tendonopathy? It doesn’t seem to matter.

This study prescribed eccentric calf exercises along with either a custom or “sham” foot orthosis for 140 people who were randomized as to which group got the real goods and which one did not.  A Victorian Institute Sports Assessment-Achilles questionairre was given at baseline, 1, 3, 6 and 12 months. No statistically significant difference between the groups.

Hmmm..

We wonder just what were the custom and sham like? When we use orthoses, we use full arch contact devices. Perhaps the type of orthosis makes a difference? What has been your experience?

Munteanu SE, Scott LA, Bonanno DR, Landorf KB, Pizzari T, Cook JL, Menz HB.  Effectiveness of customised foot orthoses for Achilles tendinopathy: a randomised controlled trial.
Br J Sports Med. 2015 Aug;49(15):989-94. doi: 10.1136/bjsports-2014-093845. Epub 2014 Sep 22.