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Background: The high prevalence of injuries in female athletes necessitates a course of action that not only enhances research in this field but also incorporates improved prevention programs and regular health monitoring of highly stressed structures such as tendons and muscles. Since myometry is already used by coaches and physiotherapists, it is important to investigate whether tissue stiffness varies in different types of sports, and whether such measures are affected by an acute training session. Methods: Myometric measurements of the Achilles tendon (AT) and soleus muscle (SM) were performed in the longitudinal plane and relaxed tendon position. In total, 38 healthy professional female athletes were examined, applying a quasi-experimental study design, with subgroup analysis performed for different sports. To investigate the stiffness of the AT and SM, 24 female handball and volleyball athletes performed a standardized maximal incremental performance test on a treadmill. In this subgroup, myometric measurements were taken before and after the exercise test. Results: The measurements showed no significant difference between the mean pre- (AT: 661.46 N/m; SM 441.48 N/m) and post-exercise stiffness (AT: 644.71 N/m; SM: 439.07 N/m). Subgroup analysis for different types of sports showed significantly lower AT and SM stiffness in swimming athletes compared to handball (p = 0.002), volleyball (p = 0.000) and hammer throw athletes (p = 0.008). Conclusions: Myometry can be performed on the same day as an acute training session in healthy female professional volleyball and handball athletes. Female swimmers have significantly lower AT and SM stiffness compared to female handball, volleyball and hammer throw athletes. These results show that the stiffness differences in the AT and SM can be assessed by myometry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: As inter-limb asymmetries can be associated with higher injury risk, we aimed to investigate their role in Achilles tendinopathy patients. Methods: In Achilles tendinopathy patients (n = 41), we assessed inter-limb asymmetries of mechanical, material, and morphological musculoskeletal properties and function and how those were affected by 12 weeks of exercise intervention (high-load protocol, n = 13; Alfredson protocol, n = 11). Moreover, we assessed whether asymmetry reductions correlated with improved Patient-Reported Outcomes (VISA-A score). Results: At baseline, tendinopathic tendons demonstrated lower tendon force (p = 0.017), lower tendon stress (p < 0.0001), larger tendon cross-sectional area (CSA) (p < 0.001), and increased intratendinous (p = 0.042) and tendon overall (p = 0.021) vascularization. For the high-load group, PRE-to-POST asymmetry comparisons revealed an asymmetry increase for the counter-movement jump (CMJ) (p = 0.034) and PRE-to-POST VISA-A score improvements correlated with CSA asymmetry reductions (p = 0.024). Within the Alfredson group, PRE-to-POST VISA-A score improvements correlated with CMJ asymmetry reductions (p = 0.044) and tendon stiffness asymmetry increases (p = 0.037). POST-to-POST in-between group comparisons revealed lower asymmetry in the high-load group for tendon elongation (p = 0.021) and tendon strain (p = 0.026). Conclusions: The tendinopathic limb differs from the asymptomatic limb while therapeutic exercise interventions have little effect on asymmetries. Asymmetry reductions are not necessarily associated with tendon health improvements. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials was performed to evaluate the effects of dietary supplements in addition to physiotherapeutic treatment on pain and functional outcomes. PubMed, The Cochrane Library, Web of Science, and Embase were searched from inception to November 2021 (Prospero registration: CRD42021291951). Studies were eligible if the interventions consisted of physiotherapeutic approaches that were combined with dietary supplementation and if they reported measures of pain and/or function. Six studies were included in the meta-analysis. Standardized mean differences (SMD) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) were calculated and analysed using a Review Manager software. Subgroup analysis was performed to explore possible associations between the study characteristics and the effectiveness of the intervention. Additional dietary supplementation during physiotherapeutic treatment significantly improved the reduction in pain score (SMD = −0.74, 95% CI, −1.37 to −0.10; p < 0.05), while it had no effect on functional outcomes (SMD = 0.29, 95% CI, 0.00 to 0.58; p > 0.05). This systematic review and meta-analysis suggests that additional nutritional interventions may improve physiotherapeutic treatment outcomes in the management of tendinopathies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]