Ultrasound and Achilles Injury: Do Scan Findings Correlate?

Achilles Tendon Ultrasound & Pathology in Dancers

INTRO:

Achilles tendinopathy commonly affects active athletes who perform repetitive tendon loading activities, including dancers.

Clinical diagnosis of Achilles tendinopathy is based on:

• History.
• Location of symptoms.
• Behavior of pain.
• Exclusion of other potential causes.

However, ultrasound imaging (USI) is often used to confirm the diagnosis.

De-la-Cruz-Torres et al. (2020), determined the prevalence of normal and abnormal AT pathology in asymptomatic dancers and associated factors, including:

• Age.
• Height.
• Weight.
• Body mass.
• Average dancing hours/wk.
• Dancing history (years).
• Average pointe hours per week.
• Thickness and CSA of FHL muscle.

Tendons were classified (normal, abnormal) using ultrasound imaging (USI). 

Performance variable were measured, including:

• Range of movement (ROM) of the first toe joint.
• Balance test.
• Endurance test.
• Vertical jump.

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RESULTS:

• A total of 58 tendons were measured.
• 26 abnormal tendons and 32 normal tendons were classified. .
• (62%) had at least one abnormal tendon.
• (45%) in the abnormal group had bilateral abnormalities. .
• Dancers with AT pathology had significantly more years of dancing and number of weekly pointe hours than those with no pathology on US imaging. .
• No significant differences between the groups were identified for the rest of the variables. .
• Dancing years was moderately correlated with AT thickness

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CONCLUSIONS:

• Asymptomatic classic dancers had a high incidence of tendon pathology via USI.
• Increased dancing years was associated with pathology in the AT. .
• Abnormal achilles tendons do NOT correlate with pain.

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Thoughts? Questions? Comments?
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Write them below. .
#physicaltherapyresearch #achillestendon #tendinopathy 📚📚📚
SOURCE:
B. de-la-Cruz-Torres et al. 2020. Ultrasound imaging features of the Achilles tendon in dancers. Phys Ther Sport 43. 

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