Achilles tendon stiffness stifness before and after a marathon

NewsBot · Sep 28, 2012

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Achilles tendon stiffness is unchanged one hour after a marathon.
Peltonen J, Cronin NJ, Stenroth L, Finni T, Avela J.
J Exp Biol. 2012 Oct 15;215(Pt 20):3665-71.
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Overuse-induced injuries have been proposed as a predisposing factor for Achilles tendon (AT) ruptures. If tendons can be overloaded, their mechanical properties should change during exercise. Because there data are lacking on the effects of a single bout of long-lasting exercise on AT mechanical properties, the present study measured AT stiffness before and after a marathon. AT stiffness was determined as the slope of the force-elongation curve between 10 and 80% of maximum voluntary force. AT force-elongation characteristics were measured in an ankle dynamometer using simultaneous motion-capture-assisted ultrasonography. Oxygen consumption and ankle kinematics were also measured on a treadmill at the marathon pace. All measurements were performed before and after the marathon. AT stiffness did not change significantly from the pre-race value of 197±62 N mm(-1) (mean ± s.d.) to the post-race value of 206±59 N mm(-1) (N=12, P=0.312). Oxygen consumption increased after the race by 7±10% (P<0.05) and ankle kinematic data revealed that in nine out of 12 subjects, the marathon induced a change in their foot strike technique. The AT of the physically active individuals seems to be able to resist mechanical changes under physiological stress. We therefore suggest that natural loading, like in running, may not overstress the AT or predispose it to injury. In addition, decreased running economy, as well as altered foot strike technique, was probably attributable to muscle fatigue.
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Admin2 · Sep 28, 2012

Related threads:
Other threads tagged with achilles tendon and stiffness

Sicknote · Sep 29, 2012

Does the study happen to mention if the Achilles tendon became stiffer or more compliant before and after the marathon?.

Or wasn't it measured in the 12 subjects?.

NewsBot · Mar 22, 2015

Prevalence of morphological and mechanical stiffness alterations of mid Achilles tendons in asymptomatic marathon runners before and after a competition
C. C. Ooi, M. E. Schneider, P. Malliaras, P. Counsel, D. A. Connell
Skeletal Radiology; March 2015

Objective
To determine the prevalence of morphological and mechanical stiffness alterations at the mid Achilles tendon in asymptomatic marathon runners before and after a competition. To assess the relationship between pre-existing Achilles tendon alterations and pain after running.
Materials and methods
All marathon runners from a local running club who were participating in the Melbourne Marathon 2013 (full marathon category) were invited for conventional ultrasound and sonoelastography 1 week leading up to the marathon and again within 3 days post-marathon. Another group of active, healthy individuals not involved in running activities were recruited as controls. Intratendinous morphological (tendon thickness, hypoechogenicities), Doppler as well as stiffness properties of the Achilles were recorded. Achilles tendon pain was evaluated using the visual analogue scale (VAS) and Victorian Institute of Sports Assessment-Achilles (VISA-A).
Results
Twenty-one asymptomatic runners (42 Achilles tendons) and 20 healthy controls (40 Achilles tendons) were examined. On the pre-marathon evaluation, runners showed significantly more morphological changes on B-mode ultrasound compared to the controls (p < 0.001). Marathon running induced a significant reduction in tendon stiffness (p = 0.049) and an increase in Doppler signals (p = 0.036). Four runners (4/21, 19 %) reported Achilles tendon pain after the race [VAS 4.0 (±1.9), VISA 74.2 (±10.1)]. Reduced tendon stiffness at baseline was associated with post-marathon Achilles tendon pain (p = 0.016).
Conclusion
Marathon runners demonstrate a higher prevalence of morphological alterations compared to non-runners. Marathon running caused a significant change in Achilles tendon stiffness and Doppler signals. Pre-existing soft Achilles tendon properties on sonoelastography may be a predisposing risk for development of symptoms post-running.
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NewsBot · May 3, 2016

An Investigation of the Immediate Effect of Static Stretching on the Morphology and Stiffness of Achilles Tendon in Dominant and Non-Dominant Legs
Tsz-chun Roxy Chiu, Hiu-ching Ngo, Lai-wa Lau, King-wah Leung, Man-him Lo, Ho-fai Yu, Michael Ying
Published: April 27, 2016http://dx.doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0154443

Aims
This study was undertaken to investigate the immediate effect of static stretching on normal Achilles tendon morphology and stiffness, and the different effect on dominant and non-dominant legs; and to evaluate inter-operator and intra-operator reliability of using shear-wave elastography in measuring Achilles tendon stiffness.

Methods
20 healthy subjects (13 males, 7 females) were included in the study. Thickness, cross-sectional area and stiffness of Achilles tendons in both legs were measured before and after 5-min static stretching using grey-scale ultrasound and shear-wave elastography. Inter-operator and intra-operator reliability of tendon stiffness measurements of six operators were evaluated.

Results
Result showed that there was no significant change in the thickness and cross-sectional area of Achilles tendon after static stretching in both dominant and non-dominant legs (p > 0.05). Tendon stiffness showed a significant increase in non-dominant leg (p < 0.05) but not in dominant leg (p > 0.05). The inter-operator reliability of shear-wave elastography measurements was 0.749 and the intra-operator reliability ranged from 0.751 to 0.941.

Conclusion
Shear-wave elastography is a useful and non-invasive imaging tool to assess the immediate stiffness change of Achilles tendon in response to static stretching with high intra-operator and inter-operator reliability.
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NewsBot · Oct 4, 2016

Aging and the effects of a half marathon on Achilles tendon force–elongation relationship
Ackermans, T.M.A., Epro, G., McCrum, C. et al.
Eur J Appl Physiol (2016). doi:10.1007/s00421-016-3482-z

Purpose
We aimed to determine whether there are different changes in Achilles tendon (AT) mechanical properties in middle-aged, compared to younger runners that might indicate that tendon fatigue, induced by long-distance running, is age-dependent.

Methods
27 middle-aged (50–67 years) and 22 younger (21–29 years) participants ran a 21 km route at their own pace (mean and SD: old: 3.1 ± 0.3 m s−1; young: 3.6 ± 0.5 m s−1). We tested for changes in the AT force–elongation relationship using dynamometry and ultrasonography during isometric voluntary ankle plantarflexion ramp contractions, conducted 20–28 h pre-run, immediately pre-run, immediately post-run and 20–28 h post-run. Stride frequency and number were examined to estimate cyclic tensile loading characteristics of the tendon during running.

Results
Muscle strength decreased significantly (P < 0.05) in both groups immediately post-run (old: 17 %; young: 11 %) and recovered to baseline within 20–28 h post-run. AT stiffness did not change for the younger adults, whereas the middle-aged adults showed a significant (P < 0.05) decrease in AT stiffness (22 %). However, tendon stiffness recovered to baseline 20–28 h post-run. Middle-aged, compared to young adults, demonstrated significantly (P < 0.05) greater stride frequency and number, but no correlations with tendon fatigue changes were determined (R2 ≤ 0.038).

Conclusions
The results suggest that the plasticity of the AT in response to short-term mechanical loading may be age dependent and that the AT length–tension properties of middle-aged runners may be more vulnerable to change following running compared to younger athletes. However, the observed AT changes in the middle-aged runners dissipated within 20–28 h post-run, suggesting that a tendon viscoelastic recovery mechanism may occur in vivo.
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NewsBot · Apr 6, 2017

Poor reproducibility of compression elastography in the Achilles tendon: same day and consecutive day measurements.
Payne C, Webborn N, Watt P, Cercignani M
Skeletal Radiol. 2017 Apr 4. doi: 10.1007/s00256-017-2629-2.

OBJECTIVE:
To determine the reproducibility of compression elastography (CE) when measuring strain data, a measure of stiffness of the human Achilles tendon in vivo, over consecutive measures, consecutive days and when using different foot positions.
MATERIALS AND METHODS:
Eight participants (4 males, 4 females; mean age 25.5 ± 2.51 years, range 21-30 years; height 173.6 ± 11.7 cm, range 156-189 cm) had five consecutive CE measurements taken on one day and a further five CE measures taken, one per day, at the same time of day, every day for a consecutive 5-day period. These 80 measurements were used to assess both the repeatability and reproducibility of the technique. Means, standard deviations, coefficient of variation (CV), Pearson correlation analysis (R) and intra-class correlation coefficients (ICC) were calculated.
RESULTS:
For CE data, all CVs were above 53%, R values indicated no-to-weak correlations between measures at best (range 0.01-0.25), and ICC values were all classified in the poor category (range 0.00-0.11). CVs for length and diameter measures were acceptably low indicating a high level of reliability.
CONCLUSIONS:
Given the wide variation obtained in the CE results, it was concluded that CE using this specific system has a low level of reproducibility for measuring the stiffness of the human Achilles tendon in vivo over consecutive days, consecutive measures and in different foot positions.
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NewsBot · Jan 16, 2020

Running a Marathon—Its Influence on Achilles Tendon Structure.
Lucas Maciel Rabello, Iris Sophie Albers, Mathijs van Ark, Ron L. Diercks, Inge van den Akker-Scheek, and Johannes Zwerver
Journal of Athletic Training In-Press.

Context Several studies have been conducted to better understand the effect of load on the Achilles tendon structure. However, the effect of a high cumulative load consisting of repetitive cyclic movements, such as those that occur during the running of a marathon, on Achilles tendon structure is not yet clear. Clinicians, coaches, and athletes will benefit from knowledge about the effects of a marathon on the structure of the Achilles tendon.

Objective To investigate the short-term response of the Achilles tendon structure to running a marathon.

Design Case series (prospective).

Setting Sports medicine centers.

Patients or Other Participants Ten male nonelite runners who ran in a marathon.

Main Outcomes Measure(s) Tendon structure was assessed before and 2 and 7 days after a marathon using ultrasound tissue characterization (UTC), an imaging tool that quantifies tendon organization in 4 echo types (I–IV). Echo type I represents the most stable echo pattern, and echo type IV, the least stable.

Results At 7 days postmarathon, both the insertional and midportion structure changed significantly. At both sites, the percentage of echo type II increased (insertion P < .01; midportion P = .02) and the percentages of echo types III and IV decreased (type III: insertion P = .01; midportion P = .02; type IV: insertion P = .01; midportion P < .01). Additionally, at the insertion, the percentage of echo type I decreased (P < .01).

Conclusions We observed the effects of running a marathon on the Achilles tendon structure 7 days after the event. Running the marathon combined with the activity performed shortly thereafter might have caused the changes in tendon structure. This result emphasizes the importance of sufficient recovery time after running a marathon to prevent overuse injuries.
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