M A Paantjens, P H Helmhout, M T A W Martens, G W Lentjes, E W P Bakker
{"title":"一项前瞻性队列研究:在患有中部跟腱病的服役人员中,用低冲击运动临时替代跑步后,跟腱结构没有短期变化。","authors":"M A Paantjens, P H Helmhout, M T A W Martens, G W Lentjes, E W P Bakker","doi":"10.1136/military-2024-002918","DOIUrl":null,"url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Introduction: </strong>Midportion Achilles tendinopathy (mid-AT) is associated with tendon degeneration that may worsen due to mechanical loading. Contrastingly, load can also improve tendon structure. We aimed to evaluate short-term changes in midportion tendon structure and their associations with symptoms, following temporary replacement of running with low-impact exercises on a stair climber or cross-trainer, in service members with mid-AT.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>We recruited 40 service members (40 symptomatic tendons) for this study. Ultrasound tissue characterisation (UTC) was used to quantify aligned fibrillar structure (echo-type I+II) and disorganised structure (echo-type III+IV), in the tendon midportion (2-7 cm) and in the area of maximum degeneration (AoMD) within the midportion. Symptoms were evaluated with the modified Victorian Institute of Sports Assessment - Achilles (VISA-A) questionnaire. All measurements were performed at baseline and after 8 weeks. The Wilcoxon signed-rank test was used to evaluate differences in UTC and VISA-A. Spearman's rho was used to calculate the correlations between UTC and VISA-A change scores.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Tendon structure did neither change significantly in the midportion: echo-type I+II from median 64.7% (IQR 19.4) to 68.6% (IQR 25.1) (p=0.793); echo-type III+IV from median 35.3% (IQR 19.4) to 31.5% (IQR 25.1) (p=0.775) nor in the AoMD: echo-type I+II from median 56.3% (IQR 18.0) to 57.9% (IQR 32.0) (p=0.677); echo-type III+IV from median 43.8% (IQR 18.0) to 42.3% (IQR 32.1) (p=0.572).On the other hand, VISA-A improved significantly (p=0.000) from baseline (median 46.5, IQR 16.0) to follow-up (median 56.0, IQR 9.0). Correlations between UTC and VISA-A change scores were consistently graded as low (range: 0.309-0.338).</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>Although the replacement of running with low-impact exercises improved symptoms, no changes in tendon structure were observed after 8 weeks. Changes in midportion structure and symptoms were poorly associated. These findings can support loading advice in patients with mid-AT when aiming to prevent progressive degeneration or tendon rupture.</p><p><strong>Trial registration number: </strong>NL69527.028.19, \"Centrale Commissie Mensgebonden Onderzoek\" (CCMO).</p>","PeriodicalId":48485,"journal":{"name":"Bmj Military Health","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.4000,"publicationDate":"2025-02-26","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":"0","resultStr":"{\"title\":\"No short-term changes in tendon structure following temporary replacement of running with low-impact exercises in service members with midportion Achilles tendinopathy: a prospective cohort study.\",\"authors\":\"M A Paantjens, P H Helmhout, M T A W Martens, G W Lentjes, E W P Bakker\",\"doi\":\"10.1136/military-2024-002918\",\"DOIUrl\":null,\"url\":null,\"abstract\":\"<p><strong>Introduction: </strong>Midportion Achilles tendinopathy (mid-AT) is associated with tendon degeneration that may worsen due to mechanical loading. Contrastingly, load can also improve tendon structure. We aimed to evaluate short-term changes in midportion tendon structure and their associations with symptoms, following temporary replacement of running with low-impact exercises on a stair climber or cross-trainer, in service members with mid-AT.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>We recruited 40 service members (40 symptomatic tendons) for this study. Ultrasound tissue characterisation (UTC) was used to quantify aligned fibrillar structure (echo-type I+II) and disorganised structure (echo-type III+IV), in the tendon midportion (2-7 cm) and in the area of maximum degeneration (AoMD) within the midportion. Symptoms were evaluated with the modified Victorian Institute of Sports Assessment - Achilles (VISA-A) questionnaire. All measurements were performed at baseline and after 8 weeks. The Wilcoxon signed-rank test was used to evaluate differences in UTC and VISA-A. Spearman's rho was used to calculate the correlations between UTC and VISA-A change scores.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Tendon structure did neither change significantly in the midportion: echo-type I+II from median 64.7% (IQR 19.4) to 68.6% (IQR 25.1) (p=0.793); echo-type III+IV from median 35.3% (IQR 19.4) to 31.5% (IQR 25.1) (p=0.775) nor in the AoMD: echo-type I+II from median 56.3% (IQR 18.0) to 57.9% (IQR 32.0) (p=0.677); echo-type III+IV from median 43.8% (IQR 18.0) to 42.3% (IQR 32.1) (p=0.572).On the other hand, VISA-A improved significantly (p=0.000) from baseline (median 46.5, IQR 16.0) to follow-up (median 56.0, IQR 9.0). Correlations between UTC and VISA-A change scores were consistently graded as low (range: 0.309-0.338).</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>Although the replacement of running with low-impact exercises improved symptoms, no changes in tendon structure were observed after 8 weeks. Changes in midportion structure and symptoms were poorly associated. These findings can support loading advice in patients with mid-AT when aiming to prevent progressive degeneration or tendon rupture.</p><p><strong>Trial registration number: </strong>NL69527.028.19, \\\"Centrale Commissie Mensgebonden Onderzoek\\\" (CCMO).</p>\",\"PeriodicalId\":48485,\"journal\":{\"name\":\"Bmj Military Health\",\"volume\":\" \",\"pages\":\"\"},\"PeriodicalIF\":1.4000,\"publicationDate\":\"2025-02-26\",\"publicationTypes\":\"Journal Article\",\"fieldsOfStudy\":null,\"isOpenAccess\":false,\"openAccessPdf\":\"\",\"citationCount\":\"0\",\"resultStr\":null,\"platform\":\"Semanticscholar\",\"paperid\":null,\"PeriodicalName\":\"Bmj Military Health\",\"FirstCategoryId\":\"3\",\"ListUrlMain\":\"https://doi.org/10.1136/military-2024-002918\",\"RegionNum\":4,\"RegionCategory\":\"医学\",\"ArticlePicture\":[],\"TitleCN\":null,\"AbstractTextCN\":null,\"PMCID\":null,\"EPubDate\":\"\",\"PubModel\":\"\",\"JCR\":\"Q2\",\"JCRName\":\"MEDICINE, GENERAL & INTERNAL\",\"Score\":null,\"Total\":0}","platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":null,"PeriodicalName":"Bmj Military Health","FirstCategoryId":"3","ListUrlMain":"https://doi.org/10.1136/military-2024-002918","RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":null,"EPubDate":"","PubModel":"","JCR":"Q2","JCRName":"MEDICINE, GENERAL & INTERNAL","Score":null,"Total":0}
No short-term changes in tendon structure following temporary replacement of running with low-impact exercises in service members with midportion Achilles tendinopathy: a prospective cohort study.
Introduction: Midportion Achilles tendinopathy (mid-AT) is associated with tendon degeneration that may worsen due to mechanical loading. Contrastingly, load can also improve tendon structure. We aimed to evaluate short-term changes in midportion tendon structure and their associations with symptoms, following temporary replacement of running with low-impact exercises on a stair climber or cross-trainer, in service members with mid-AT.
Methods: We recruited 40 service members (40 symptomatic tendons) for this study. Ultrasound tissue characterisation (UTC) was used to quantify aligned fibrillar structure (echo-type I+II) and disorganised structure (echo-type III+IV), in the tendon midportion (2-7 cm) and in the area of maximum degeneration (AoMD) within the midportion. Symptoms were evaluated with the modified Victorian Institute of Sports Assessment - Achilles (VISA-A) questionnaire. All measurements were performed at baseline and after 8 weeks. The Wilcoxon signed-rank test was used to evaluate differences in UTC and VISA-A. Spearman's rho was used to calculate the correlations between UTC and VISA-A change scores.
Results: Tendon structure did neither change significantly in the midportion: echo-type I+II from median 64.7% (IQR 19.4) to 68.6% (IQR 25.1) (p=0.793); echo-type III+IV from median 35.3% (IQR 19.4) to 31.5% (IQR 25.1) (p=0.775) nor in the AoMD: echo-type I+II from median 56.3% (IQR 18.0) to 57.9% (IQR 32.0) (p=0.677); echo-type III+IV from median 43.8% (IQR 18.0) to 42.3% (IQR 32.1) (p=0.572).On the other hand, VISA-A improved significantly (p=0.000) from baseline (median 46.5, IQR 16.0) to follow-up (median 56.0, IQR 9.0). Correlations between UTC and VISA-A change scores were consistently graded as low (range: 0.309-0.338).
Conclusions: Although the replacement of running with low-impact exercises improved symptoms, no changes in tendon structure were observed after 8 weeks. Changes in midportion structure and symptoms were poorly associated. These findings can support loading advice in patients with mid-AT when aiming to prevent progressive degeneration or tendon rupture.