Personalized Achilles tendon rehab: how loading in daily life affects healing
Official title: Tendon loading profiles that promote healing in Achilles tendinopathy
Funded at University of Pennsylvania · NIH-11581469 · Data updated 2026-11-12
A person with mid-substance Achilles tendinopathy could benefit from a personalized rehab plan based on how their daily activities load the tendon.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Pennsylvania NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Philadelphia, United States) |
| Project start | April 1, 2021 |
| Project end | November 30, 2026 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $81,787 |
| NIH project number | 3R01AR078898-05S1 |
| Project ID | NIH-11581469 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Adults with mid-substance Achilles tendinopathy undergoing rehabilitation.
✕Less likely to help
Patients with tendon conditions unrelated to mid-substance Achilles tendinopathy or who cannot participate in daily-life monitoring may see little benefit.
What this research studies
This project aims to understand how Achilles tendon loading during everyday activities affects healing and function. Researchers will monitor tendon loading continuously during rehab and daily life and use ultrasound imaging to measure tendon status. The goal is to identify subgroups of patients whose tendon loading patterns predict recovery so that rehabilitation can be tailored to each person.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, patients could receive personalized rehab programs that improve pain relief and restore muscle-tendon function faster.
How similar studies have gone: Previous research shows variability in healing; this work seeks to personalize rehab based on loading patterns, an area with promising but still-growing evidence.
Where this research is happening
-
University of Pennsylvania
Philadelphia, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Baxter, Josh — University of Pennsylvania
- Study coordinator: Baxter, Josh
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
-
Achilles Tendinopathy Center of Translation
A center-led program aims to uncover basic science and translational tools to improve care for people with Achilles tendinopathy.
-
Understanding the muscle-subtendon units in Achilles tendinopathy
This project explores why Achilles tendinopathy affects people differently by looking closely at the ankle’s tendon structure and how it responds to treatments.
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Exosome-based biologic treatment for tendinopathy
A new exosome-based therapy called Altenex aims to treat tendinopathy safely and effectively in adults.
-
Quantifying Achilles Tendon Stress in Dancers to Prevent Tendinopathy
Aimed at female ballet dancers, this project will measure Achilles tendon stress during dance and develop better tools to monitor pain and guide injury prevention and recovery.
-
Role of CaV1.2 calcium channels in Achilles tendinopathy
This grant explores how a calcium channel called CaV1.2 may drive tendinopathy in the Achilles tendon and what this could mean for new treatments.
-
Patient-specific factors that influence recovery from rotator cuff tendinopathy
Aims to understand why some people recover better from shoulder tendon problems than others and how to tailor resistance exercise to each person.
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page.