1. Incidence of Achilles and Patellar Tendinopathy in Adolescent Elite Athletes
- Author
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Josefine Stoll, Lucie Risch, Konstantina Intziegianni, Juliane Mueller, Michael Cassel, Pia Brecht, and Frank Mayer
- Subjects
Male ,medicine.medical_specialty ,Adolescent ,Fakultät für Gesundheitswissenschaften ,Physical Therapy, Sports Therapy and Rehabilitation ,Achilles Tendon ,03 medical and health sciences ,0302 clinical medicine ,Patellar Ligament ,Risk Factors ,Internal medicine ,Epidemiology ,Prevalence ,medicine ,Humans ,Orthopedics and Sports Medicine ,ddc:610 ,Longitudinal Studies ,Prospective Studies ,Child ,Prospective cohort study ,Ultrasonography ,030222 orthopedics ,Achilles tendon ,biology ,business.industry ,Athletes ,Incidence ,Patellar ligament ,Incidence (epidemiology) ,030229 sport sciences ,medicine.disease ,biology.organism_classification ,medicine.anatomical_structure ,Athletic Injuries ,Tendinopathy ,Female ,Patellar tendinopathy ,business - Abstract
The study investigated the incidence of Achilles and patellar tendinopathy in adolescent elite athletes and non-athletic controls. Furthermore, predictive and associated factors for tendinopathy development were analyzed. The prospective study consisted of two measurement days (M1/M2) with an interval of 3.2±0.9 years. 157 athletes (12.1±0.7 years) and 25 controls (13.3±0.6 years) without Achilles/patellar tendinopathy were included at M1. Clinical and ultrasound examinations of both Achilles (AT) and patellar tendons (PT) were performed. Main outcome measures were incidence tendinopathy and structural intratendinous alterations (hypo-/hyperechogenicity, vascularization) at M2 [%]. Incidence of Achilles tendinopathy was 1% in athletes and 0% in controls. Patellar tendinopathy was more frequent in athletes (13%) than in controls (4%). Incidence of intratendinous alterations in ATs was 1-2% in athletes and 0% in controls, whereas in PTs it was 4-6% in both groups (p>0.05). Intratendinous alterations at M2 were associated with patellar tendinopathy in athletes (p≤0.01). Intratendinous alterations at M1, anthropometric data, training amount, sports or sex did not predict tendinopathy development (p>0.05). Incidence of tendinopathy and intratendinous alterations in adolescent athletes is low in ATs and more common in PTs. Development of intratendinous alterations in PT is associated with tendinopathy. However, predictive factors could not be identified.
- Published
- 2018