Achilles tendon material properties are greater in the jump leg of jumping athletes

If you need an accessible version of this item, please submit a remediation request.
Date
2016-06
Language
English
Embargo Lift Date
Committee Members
Degree
Degree Year
Department
Grantor
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Found At
ISMNI
Abstract

Purpose:

The Achilles tendon (AT) must adapt to meet changes in demands. This study explored AT adaptation by comparing properties within the jump and non-jump legs of jumping athletes. Non-jumping control athletes were included to control limb dominance effects.

Methods:

AT properties were assessed in the preferred (jump) and non-preferred (lead) jumping legs of male collegiate-level long and/or high jump (jumpers; n=10) and cross-country (controls; n=10) athletes. Cross-sectional area (CSA), elongation, and force during isometric contractions were used to estimate the morphological, mechanical and material properties of the ATs bilaterally.

Results:

Jumpers exposed their ATs to more force and stress than controls (all p≤0.03). AT force and stress were also greater in the jump leg of both jumpers and controls than in the lead leg (all p<0.05). Jumpers had 17.8% greater AT stiffness and 24.4% greater Young’s modulus in their jump leg compared to lead leg (all p<0.05). There were no jump versus lead leg differences in AT stiffness or Young’s modulus within controls (all p>0.05).

Conclusion:

ATs chronically exposed to elevated mechanical loading were found to exhibit greater mechanical (stiffness) and material (Young’s modulus) properties.

Description
item.page.description.tableofcontents
item.page.relation.haspart
Cite As
Bayliss, A. J., Weatherholt, A. M., Crandall, T. T., Farmer, D. L., McConnell, J. C., Crossley, K. M., & Warden, S. J. (2016). Achilles tendon material properties are greater in the jump leg of jumping athletes. Journal of Musculoskeletal & Neuronal Interactions, 16(2), 105–112.
ISSN
Publisher
Series/Report
Sponsorship
Major
Extent
Identifier
Relation
Journal
Journal of Musculoskeletal & Neuronal Interactions
Source
Publisher
Alternative Title
Type
Article
Number
Volume
Conference Dates
Conference Host
Conference Location
Conference Name
Conference Panel
Conference Secretariat Location
Version
Final published version
Full Text Available at
This item is under embargo {{howLong}}