The ASPIRE Trial: AchilleS tendinoPathy Treated With cortIcosteRoid injEctions (ASPIRE)

June 16, 2026 updated by: Adam Weir, Erasmus Medical Center
Achilles tendinopathy is a common and often persistent tendon disorder associated with pain, impaired function, and reduced participation in physical activities. Standard care consists of education, load management advice, and progressive calf-strengthening exercises, yet about half of patients remain symptomatic. Corticosteroid injections are frequently used in clinical practice, but evidence on long-term efficacy and safety remains inconclusive. The ASPIRE trial is a multicentre, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled phase III trial evaluating whether 1-3 ultrasound-guided peritendinous corticosteroid injections added to standard care are safe and more effective than placebo injections plus standard care in adults with chronic midportion Achilles tendinopathy. The primary outcomes are change in VISA-A score over 1 year and incidence of full-thickness Achilles tendon rupture during 1-year follow-up.

Study Overview

Status

Status

Indicates the current recruitment status or the expanded access status.
Recruiting

Conditions

Conditions

The disease, disorder, syndrome, illness, or injury that is being studied. On ClinicalTrials.gov, conditions may also include other health-related issues, such as lifespan, quality of life, and health risks.

Intervention / Treatment

Intervention / Treatment

A process or action that is the focus of a clinical study. Interventions include drugs, medical devices, procedures, vaccines, and other products that are either investigational or already available. Interventions can also include noninvasive approaches, such as education or modifying diet and exercise.

Detailed Description

The ASPIRE trial is designed to address uncertainty regarding peritendinous corticosteroid injections as a second-line treatment for chronic midportion Achilles tendinopathy. Participants are adults aged 18-65 years with clinically diagnosed and ultrasonographically confirmed chronic midportion Achilles tendinopathy, persistent symptoms for at least 6 months, and ongoing complaints despite standard care including at least 3 months of exercise therapy. Participants are randomized 1:1 to receive either 1-3 ultrasound-guided peritendinous injections of methylprednisolone acetate 40 mg plus lidocaine, or 1-3 ultrasound-guided placebo injections with lidocaine only. All participants receive the same standard care consisting of education, load management advice, and a structured progressive calf-muscle strengthening exercise programme supported by an online website. Follow-up includes clinical assessments, questionnaires, ultrasound imaging, and functional testing at baseline, 3 months, and 1 year, with additional online questionnaires up to 10 years.

Study Type

Study Type

Describes the nature of a clinical study. Study types include interventional studies (also called clinical trials), observational studies (including patient registries), and expanded access.
Interventional

Enrollment (Estimated)

Enrollment

The number of participants in a clinical study. The "anticipated" enrollment is the target number of participants that the researchers need for the study.
276

Phase

Phase

The stage of a clinical trial studying a drug or biological product, based on definitions developed by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The phase is based on the study's objective, the number of participants, and other characteristics. There are five phases: Early Phase 1 (formerly listed as Phase 0), Phase 1, Phase 2, Phase 3, and Phase 4. Not Applicable is used to describe trials without FDA-defined phases, including trials of devices or behavioral interventions.
  • Phase 3

Contacts and Locations

This section provides the contact details for those conducting the study, and information on where this study is being conducted.

Study Contact

Study Contact

The name and contact information for the person who can answer enrollment questions for a clinical study. Each location where the study is being conducted may also have a specific contact, who may be better able to answer those questions.

Study Locations

Participation Criteria

Researchers look for people who fit a certain description, called eligibility criteria. Some examples of these criteria are a person's general health condition or prior treatments.

Eligibility Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

The key requirements that people who want to participate in a clinical study must meet or the characteristics they must have. Eligibility criteria consist of both inclusion criteria (which are required for a person to participate in the study) and exclusion criteria (which prevent a person from participating). Types of eligibility criteria include whether a study accepts healthy volunteers, has age or age group requirements, or is limited by sex.

Ages Eligible for Study

  • Adult
  • Older Adult

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

No

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

  • Age 18-65 years
  • Clinically diagnosed midportion Achilles tendinopathy confirmed by ultrasound
  • Symptoms for at least 6 months
  • Persistent complaints despite standard care, including education, load management advice and at least 3 months of exercise therapy / exercise programme

Exclusion Criteria:

  • • Clinical suspicion of insertional Achilles tendinopathy

    • Clinical suspicion of Achilles tendon rupture
    • Clinical suspicion of plantar flexor tenosynovitis
    • Clinical suspicion of sural nerve pathology
    • Clinical suspicion of peroneal tendon subluxation or peroneal tendinopathy
    • Clinical suspicion of posterior ankle impingement syndrome
    • Suspected systemic/inflammatory disorder as cause of symptoms
    • Any condition preventing participation in active exercise programme
    • History of Achilles tendon rupture of index tendon
    • Previous local corticosteroid injection on index Achilles tendon
    • Previous surgery on index Achilles tendon
    • Refusal to undergo one of the study treatments
    • Local skin infection, suspected systemic infection with fever, or other medical condition compromising injection safety
    • Vitamin K antagonist use with INR >3.0 within 3 days before injection or unknown INR
    • Current pregnancy or breastfeeding
    • Medication-induced tendon pathology (quinolones or statins related to symptom onset)
    • Inability to provide informed consent
    • Participation in another concomitant interventional programme for Achilles tendinopathy
    • Known hypersensitivity or allergy to Depo-Medrol or Lidocaine
    • Participants with unstable or poorly controlled diabetes mellitus may be excluded at investigator discretion for safety reasons.

Study Plan

This section provides details of the study plan, including how the study is designed and what the study is measuring.

How is the study designed?

Design Details

  • Primary Purpose: Treatment
  • Allocation: Randomized
  • Interventional Model: Parallel Assignment
  • Masking: Quadruple

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm

Participant Group / Arm

A group or subgroup of participants in a clinical trial that receives a specific intervention/treatment, or no intervention, according to the trial's protocol.
Intervention / Treatment

Intervention / Treatment

A process or action that is the focus of a clinical study. Interventions include drugs, medical devices, procedures, vaccines, and other products that are either investigational or already available. Interventions can also include noninvasive approaches, such as education or modifying diet and exercise.
Experimental: Corticosteroid and Lidocaine Injection
Participants receive 1-3 ultrasound-guided peritendinous injections of Depo-Medrol (methylprednisolone acetate 40 mg) combined with lidocaine. All participants receive one injection at baseline; up to two additional injections may be given within the first 8 weeks at intervals of 4 weeks if predefined criteria are met.
Other: Standard care
Education, load management advice, and a structured progressive calf-muscle strengthening exercise programme supported by an online website.
Drug: Depo-Medrol (methylprednisolone acetate 40 mg) combined with lidocaine
Participants receive 1-3 ultrasound-guided peritendinous injections of Depo-Medrol (methylprednisolone acetate 40 mg) combined with lidocaine.
Other Names:
  • Drug: Methylprednisolone acetate 40 mg + Lidocaine 10 mg
  • Depo-Medrol + Lidocaine
Placebo Comparator: Placebo Injection
Participants receive 1-3 ultrasound-guided peritendinous placebo injections consisting of lidocaine only. All participants receive one injection at baseline; up to two additional injections may be given within the first 8 weeks at intervals of at least 4 weeks if predefined criteria are met.
Other: Standard care
Education, load management advice, and a structured progressive calf-muscle strengthening exercise programme supported by an online website.
Drug: placebo injections consisting of lidocaine only
Participants receive 1-3 ultrasound-guided peritendinous placebo injections consisting of lidocaine onl
Other Names:
  • Placebo injection
  • Drug: Lidocaine 10 mg

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Primary Outcome Measures

In a clinical study's protocol, the planned outcome measure that is the most important for evaluating the effect of an intervention/treatment. Most clinical studies have one primary outcome measure, but some have more than one.
Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Change in disability and symptoms measured with the VISA-A questionnaire.
Time Frame: Baseline to 1 year follow-up (timepoints: Baseline, 4 weeks, 8 weeks, 3 months, 6 months, 9 months, and 1-year).
Change in disability and symptoms during 1-year follow-up, measured with the validated Victorian Institute of Sport Assessment-Achilles (VISA-A) questionnaire, scored from 0 to 100.
Baseline to 1 year follow-up (timepoints: Baseline, 4 weeks, 8 weeks, 3 months, 6 months, 9 months, and 1-year).
Incidence of full-thickness Achilles tendon rupture
Time Frame: During 1-year follow-up
Incidence of full-thickness Achilles tendon ruptures during 1-year follow-up, confirmed by medical records or clinical tests and imaging.
During 1-year follow-up

Secondary Outcome Measures

Secondary Outcome Measures

In a clinical study's protocol, a planned outcome measure that is not as important as the primary outcome measure for evaluating the effect of an intervention but is still of interest. Most clinical studies have more than one secondary outcome measure.
Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Minor corticosteroid side effects / corticosteroid safety indicators
Time Frame: baseline, 3 months, 6 months, 9 months, and 1 year.
Body mass (kg)
baseline, 3 months, 6 months, 9 months, and 1 year.
Tendon-related symptoms and disability
Time Frame: baseline, 3 months, 6 months, 9 months, and 1 year
TENDINopathy Severity Assessment - Achilles (TENDINS-A) score. 0-100; 0= worts, 100= best
baseline, 3 months, 6 months, 9 months, and 1 year
Pain outcomes
Time Frame: Assessed at baseline, 3 months, 6 months, 9 months, and 1 year
Pain during activity, measured on a VAS 0-10 scale
Assessed at baseline, 3 months, 6 months, 9 months, and 1 year
Global perceived improvement
Time Frame: Assessed at 3 months, 6 months, 9 months, and 1 year
Global Rating of Change (GROC), 11-point scale
Assessed at 3 months, 6 months, 9 months, and 1 year
Physical function / functional test outcomes
Time Frame: Assessed at baseline, 3 months, and 1 year
Maximum VAS pain (0-10) during or after palpation of the Achilles tendon
Assessed at baseline, 3 months, and 1 year
Healthcare use
Time Frame: Assessed at baseline, 3 months, 6 months, 9 months, and 1 year

Medical Consumption Questionnaire (iMCQ) for healthcare use

The economic evaluation will be published separately.
Assessed at baseline, 3 months, 6 months, 9 months, and 1 year
Imaging outcomes: tendon structure
Time Frame: Assessed at baseline, 3 months, and 1 year
Ultrasound and ultrasound tissue characterisation of Achilles tendon where the degree of collagen disorganisation is assed using: echo types I, echo types II, echo types III, echo types IV, combined percentage echo types I + II
Assessed at baseline, 3 months, and 1 year
Imaging outcomes: neovascularisation / Doppler flow
Time Frame: Assessed at baseline, 3 months, and 1 year
percentage of Doppler flow within the color box, quantified with the Surface Area Quantification (SAQ) method
Assessed at baseline, 3 months, and 1 year
Minor corticosteroid side effects / corticosteroid safety indicators
Time Frame: baseline, 3 months, and 1 year.
Body fat percentage
baseline, 3 months, and 1 year.
Minor corticosteroid side effects / corticosteroid safety indicators
Time Frame: baseline, 3 months, and 1 year
Waist circumference (cm)
baseline, 3 months, and 1 year
Minor corticosteroid side effects / corticosteroid safety indicators
Time Frame: baseline, 3 months, 6 months, 9 months, and 1 year.
Hot flushes (5-point scale)
baseline, 3 months, 6 months, 9 months, and 1 year.
Minor corticosteroid side effects / corticosteroid safety indicators
Time Frame: baseline, 3 months, 6 months, 9 months, and 1 year
Menstrual disturbances (if applicable, 5-point scale)
baseline, 3 months, 6 months, 9 months, and 1 year
Minor corticosteroid side effects / corticosteroid safety indicators
Time Frame: baseline, 3 months, 6 months, 9 months, and 1 year.
Sleep disturbances (5-point scale)
baseline, 3 months, 6 months, 9 months, and 1 year.
Minor corticosteroid side effects / corticosteroid safety indicators
Time Frame: baseline, 3 months, 6 months, 9 months, and 1 year.
Appetite (5-point scale)
baseline, 3 months, 6 months, 9 months, and 1 year.
Physical function / functional test outcomes
Time Frame: Assessed at baseline, 3 months, and 1 year
Maximum VAS pain (0-10) during or after 5 single-leg heel rises
Assessed at baseline, 3 months, and 1 year
Physical function / functional test outcomes
Time Frame: Assessed at baseline, 3 months, and 1 year
Maximum VAS pain (0-10) during or after 5 hops
Assessed at baseline, 3 months, and 1 year
Physical function / functional test outcomes
Time Frame: Assessed at baseline, 3 months, and 1 year
Heel Rise Endurance Test (HRET) - repetitions
Assessed at baseline, 3 months, and 1 year
productivity loss
Time Frame: Assessed at baseline, 3 months, 6 months, 9 months, and 1 year
Institute for Medical Technology Assessment Productivity Cost Questionnaire (iPCQ for productivity loss). The economic evaluation will be published separately
Assessed at baseline, 3 months, 6 months, 9 months, and 1 year
Imaging outcomes: tendon structure on ultrasound
Time Frame: Assessed at baseline, 3 months, and 1 year
tendon volume (cubic centimeters)
Assessed at baseline, 3 months, and 1 year
Imaging outcomes: tendon structure on ultrasound
Time Frame: Assessed at baseline, 3 months, and 1 year
maximum cross-sectional area (square cm)
Assessed at baseline, 3 months, and 1 year
Imaging outcomes: tendon structure on ultrasound
Time Frame: Assessed at baseline, 3 months, and 1 year
tendon maximum diameter (cm)
Assessed at baseline, 3 months, and 1 year
Pain outcomes
Time Frame: Assessed at baseline, 3 months, 6 months, 9 months, and 1 year
Pain after activity, measured on a VAS 0-10 scale
Assessed at baseline, 3 months, 6 months, 9 months, and 1 year
Health-related quality of life
Time Frame: Assessed at baseline, 3 months, 6 months, 9 months, and 1 year
Euro Quality of life 5 Dimensions, 5 Levels questionnaire (EQ-5D-5L). 0-100 score. 0=worst, 100=best
Assessed at baseline, 3 months, 6 months, 9 months, and 1 year
Return to sport / physical activity level
Time Frame: Assessed at baseline, 3 months, 6 months, 9 months, and 1 year.
Return to desired sports participation using a 7-point scale. 0= worst, 7 full return to sports = best
Assessed at baseline, 3 months, 6 months, 9 months, and 1 year.
Minor corticosteroid side effects
Time Frame: baseline, 3 months, and 1 year.
Visible skin abnormalities at the injection site scored as present or absent
baseline, 3 months, and 1 year.

Collaborators and Investigators

This is where you will find people and organizations involved with this study.

Sponsor

Sponsor

The organization or person who initiates the study and who has authority and control over the study.
Erasmus Medical Center

Collaborators

Collaborators

An organization other than the sponsor that provides support for a clinical study. This support may include activities related to funding, design, implementation, data analysis, or reporting.
UMC Utrecht
ZonMw: The Netherlands Organisation for Health Research and Development
Isala
Gelderse Vallei Hospital
Bergman Clinics
Haaglanden Medical Centre
Amsterdam UMC
Dutch Association of Sports Medicine (VSG)
Dutch Orthopaedic Association (NOV)
Dutch College of General Practitioners (NHG Musculoskeletal Care)
International Trial Advisory Board
Patient Panel

Investigators

Investigators

A researcher involved in a clinical study. Related terms include site principal investigator, site sub-investigator, study chair, study director, and study principal investigator.
  • Principal Investigator: Robert Jan de Vos, MD, PhD, Erasmus Medical Centre

Publications and helpful links

The person responsible for entering information about the study voluntarily provides these publications. These may be about anything related to the study.

Helpful Links

Study record dates

These dates track the progress of study record and summary results submissions to ClinicalTrials.gov. Study records and reported results are reviewed by the National Library of Medicine (NLM) to make sure they meet specific quality control standards before being posted on the public website.

Study Major Dates

Study Start (Actual)

Study Start

The actual date on which the first participant was enrolled in a clinical study. The "anticipated" study start date is the date that the researchers think will be the study start date.
June 3, 2026

Primary Completion (Estimated)

Primary Completion

The date on which the last participant in a clinical study was examined or received an intervention to collect final data for the primary outcome measure. Whether the clinical study ended according to the protocol or was terminated does not affect this date. For clinical studies with more than one primary outcome measure with different completion dates, this term refers to the date on which data collection is completed for all the primary outcome measures. The "anticipated" primary completion date is the date that the researchers think will be the primary completion date for the study.
December 31, 2027

Study Completion (Estimated)

Study Completion

The date on which the last participant in a clinical study was examined or received an intervention/treatment to collect final data for the primary outcome measures, secondary outcome measures, and adverse events (that is, the last participant's last visit). The "anticipated" study completion date is the date that the researchers think will be the study completion date.
October 31, 2028

Study Registration Dates

First Submitted

First Submitted

The date on which the study sponsor or investigator first submitted a study record to ClinicalTrials.gov. There is typically a delay of a few days between the first submitted date and the record's availability on ClinicalTrials.gov (the first posted date).
June 2, 2026

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

The date on which the study sponsor or investigator first submits a study record that is consistent with National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review criteria. The sponsor or investigator may need to revise and submit a study record one or more times before NLM's QC review criteria are met. It is the responsibility of the sponsor or investigator to ensure that the study record is consistent with the NLM QC review criteria.
June 10, 2026

First Posted (Actual)

First Posted

The date on which the study record was first available on ClinicalTrials.gov after National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review has concluded. There is typically a delay of a few days between the date the study sponsor or investigator submitted the study record and the first posted date.
June 16, 2026

Study Record Updates

Last Update Posted (Actual)

Last Update Posted

The most recent date on which changes to a study record were made available on ClinicalTrials.gov. There may be a delay between when the changes were submitted to ClinicalTrials.gov by the study's sponsor or investigator (the last update submitted date) and the last update posted date.
June 18, 2026

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

The most recent date on which the study sponsor or investigator submitted changes to a study record that are consistent with National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review criteria. It is the responsibility of the sponsor or investigator to ensure that the study record is consistent with the NLM QC review criteria.
June 16, 2026

Last Verified

Last Verified

The most recent date on which the study sponsor or investigator confirmed the information about a clinical study on ClinicalTrials.gov as accurate and current. If a study with a recruitment status of recruiting; not yet recruiting; or active, not recruiting has not been confirmed within the past 2 years, the study's recruitment status is shown as unknown.
June 1, 2026

More Information

Terms related to this study

Keywords

Additional Relevant MeSH Terms

Other Study ID Numbers

Other Study ID Numbers

Identifiers or ID numbers other than the NCT number that are assigned to a clinical study by the study's sponsor, funders, or others. These numbers may include unique identifiers from other trial registries and National Institutes of Health grant numbers.
  • MEC-2026-0210
  • 2025-524057-13-00 (Ctis)
  • ZonMw grant number: 1014102241 (Other Identifier: ZonMw)

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?

YES

IPD Plan Description

upon reasonable request.

IPD Sharing Time Frame

as yet undetermined

IPD Sharing Access Criteria

as yet undetermined

IPD Sharing Supporting Information Type

  • STUDY_PROTOCOL
  • SAP
  • ICF

Drug and device information, study documents

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product

No

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product

No

This information was retrieved directly from the website clinicaltrials.gov without any changes. If you have any requests to change, remove or update your study details, please contact register@clinicaltrials.gov. As soon as a change is implemented on clinicaltrials.gov, this will be updated automatically on our website as well.

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