1
|
Devaprakash D, Graham DF, Barrett RS, Lloyd DG, Obst SJ, Kennedy B, Adams KL, Kiely RJ, Hunter A, Vlahovich N, Pease DL, Shim VB, Besier TF, Zheng M, Cook JL, Pizzolato C. Free Achilles tendon strain during selected rehabilitation, locomotor, jumping, and landing tasks. J Appl Physiol (1985) 2022; 132:956-965. [PMID: 35142563 DOI: 10.1152/japplphysiol.00662.2021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
A better understanding of the strains experienced by the Achilles tendon during commonly prescribed exercises and locomotor tasks is needed to improve efficacy of Achilles tendon training and rehabilitation programs. The aim of this study was to estimate in vivo free Achilles tendon strain during selected rehabilitation, locomotor, jumping, and landing tasks. Sixteen trained runners with no symptoms of Achilles tendinopathy participated in this study. Personalised free Achilles tendon moment arm and force-strain curve were obtained from imaging data and used in conjunction with motion capture and surface electromyography to estimate free Achilles tendon strain using electromyogram-informed neuromusculoskeletal modelling. There was a strong correspondence between Achilles tendon force estimates from the present study and experimental data reported in the literature (R2 > 0.85). The average tendon strain was highest for maximal hop landing (8.8±1.6%), lowest for walking at 1.4 m/s (3.1±0.8%) and increased with locomotor speed during running (run 3.0 m/s: 6.5±1.6%; run 5.0 m/s: 7.9±1.7%) and during heel rise exercise with added mass (BW: 5.8±1.3%; 1.2 BW: 6.9±1.7%). The peak tendon strain was highest during running (5 m/s: 13.7±2.5%) and lowest during walking (1.4 m/s: 7±1.8%). Overall findings provide a preliminary evidence base for exercise selection to maximise anabolic tendon remodelling during training and rehabilitation of the Achilles tendon.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Daniel Devaprakash
- Griffith Centre of Biomedical and Rehabilitation Engineering (GCORE), Menzies Health Institute Queensland, and Advanced Design and Prototyping Technologies Institute (ADAPT), Griffith University, Australia.,School of Health Sciences and Social Work, Griffith University, Australia
| | - David F Graham
- School of Health Sciences and Social Work, Griffith University, Australia.,Department of Health and Human Development, Montana State University, Bozeman, MT, United States
| | - Rod S Barrett
- Griffith Centre of Biomedical and Rehabilitation Engineering (GCORE), Menzies Health Institute Queensland, and Advanced Design and Prototyping Technologies Institute (ADAPT), Griffith University, Australia.,School of Health Sciences and Social Work, Griffith University, Australia
| | - David G Lloyd
- Griffith Centre of Biomedical and Rehabilitation Engineering (GCORE), Menzies Health Institute Queensland, and Advanced Design and Prototyping Technologies Institute (ADAPT), Griffith University, Australia.,School of Health Sciences and Social Work, Griffith University, Australia
| | - Steven J Obst
- School of Health Sciences and Social Work, Griffith University, Australia.,School of Health, Medical, and Applied Sciences, Central Queensland University, Australia
| | - Ben Kennedy
- School of Health Sciences and Social Work, Griffith University, Australia.,Mermaid Beach Radiology, Gold Coast, Queensland, Australia
| | - Kahlee L Adams
- Australian Institute of Sport, Australian Capital Territory, Australia
| | - Ryan J Kiely
- Australian Institute of Sport, Australian Capital Territory, Australia
| | - Adam Hunter
- Australian Institute of Sport, Australian Capital Territory, Australia
| | - Nicole Vlahovich
- Australian Institute of Sport, Australian Capital Territory, Australia
| | - David L Pease
- Australian Institute of Sport, Australian Capital Territory, Australia
| | - Vickie B Shim
- School of Health Sciences and Social Work, Griffith University, Australia.,Auckland Bioengineering Institute, The University of Auckland, New Zealand
| | - Thor F Besier
- Auckland Bioengineering Institute, The University of Auckland, New Zealand
| | - Minghao Zheng
- Centre for Orthopaedic Translational Research, School of Surgery, The University of Western Australia, Nedlands, WA, Australia
| | - Jill L Cook
- La Trobe Sport and Exercise Medicine Research Centre, La Trobe University, Bundoora, VIC, Australia
| | - Claudio Pizzolato
- Griffith Centre of Biomedical and Rehabilitation Engineering (GCORE), Menzies Health Institute Queensland, and Advanced Design and Prototyping Technologies Institute (ADAPT), Griffith University, Australia.,School of Health Sciences and Social Work, Griffith University, Australia
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Leung WK, Chu KL, Lai C. Sonographic evaluation of the immediate effects of eccentric heel drop exercise on Achilles tendon and gastrocnemius muscle stiffness using shear wave elastography. PeerJ 2017; 5:e3592. [PMID: 28740756 PMCID: PMC5520961 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.3592] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/26/2017] [Accepted: 06/28/2017] [Indexed: 01/20/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Mechanical loading is crucial for muscle and tendon tissue remodeling. Eccentric heel drop exercise has been proven to be effective in the management of Achilles tendinopathy, yet its induced change in the mechanical property (i.e., stiffness) of the Achilles tendon (AT), medial and lateral gastrocnemius muscles (MG and LG) was unknown. Given that shear wave elastography has emerged as a powerful tool in assessing soft tissue stiffness with promising intra- and inter-operator reliability, the objective of this study was hence to characterize the stiffness of the AT, MG and LG in response to an acute bout of eccentric heel drop exercise. METHODS Forty-five healthy young adults (36 males and nine females) performed 10 sets of 15-repetition heel drop exercise on their dominant leg with fully-extended knee, during which the AT and gastrocnemius muscles, but not soleus, were highly stretched. Before and immediately after the heel drop exercise, elastic moduli of the AT, MG and LG were measured by shear wave elastography. RESULTS After the heel drop exercise, the stiffness of AT increased significantly by 41.8 + 33.5% (P < 0.001), whereas the increases in the MG and LG stiffness were found to be more drastic by 75 + 47.7% (P < 0.001) and 71.7 + 51.8% (P < 0.001), respectively. Regarding the AT, MG and LG stiffness measurements, the inter-operator reliability was 0.940, 0.987 and 0.986, and the intra-operator reliability was 0.916 to 0.978, 0.801 to 0.961 and 0.889 to 0.985, respectively. DISCUSSION The gastrocnemius muscles were shown to bear larger mechanical loads than the AT during an acute bout of eccentric heel drop exercise. The findings from this pilot study shed some light on how and to what extent the AT and gastrocnemius muscles mechanically responds to an isolated set of heel drop exercise. Taken together, appropriate eccentric load might potentially benefit mechanical adaptations of the AT and gastrocnemius muscles in the rehabilitation of patients with Achilles tendinopathy.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Wilson K.C. Leung
- Department of Health Technology and Informatics, Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hung Hom, Hong Kong
| | - KL Chu
- Department of Health Technology and Informatics, Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hung Hom, Hong Kong
| | - Christopher Lai
- Department of Health Technology and Informatics, Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hung Hom, Hong Kong
| |
Collapse
|
4
|
Obst SJ, Newsham-West R, Barrett RS. Changes in Achilles tendon mechanical properties following eccentric heel drop exercise are specific to the free tendon. Scand J Med Sci Sports 2015; 26:421-31. [DOI: 10.1111/sms.12466] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 03/04/2015] [Indexed: 01/23/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- S. J. Obst
- School of Allied Health Sciences; Centre for Musculoskeletal Research; Griffith Health Institute; Griffith University; Gold Coast Queensland Australia
| | - R. Newsham-West
- School of Allied Health Sciences; Centre for Musculoskeletal Research; Griffith Health Institute; Griffith University; Gold Coast Queensland Australia
| | - R. S. Barrett
- School of Allied Health Sciences; Centre for Musculoskeletal Research; Griffith Health Institute; Griffith University; Gold Coast Queensland Australia
| |
Collapse
|
5
|
Obst SJ, Newsham-West R, Barrett RS. Three-dimensional morphology and strain of the Achilles free tendon immediately following eccentric heel drop exercise. J Exp Biol 2015; 218:3894-900. [DOI: 10.1242/jeb.127175] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/23/2015] [Accepted: 10/10/2015] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Our understanding of the immediate effects of exercise on Achilles free tendon transverse morphology is limited to single site measurements acquired at rest using 2D ultrasound. The purpose of this study was to provide a detailed 3D description of changes in Achilles free tendon morphology immediately following a single clinical dose of exercise. Freehand 3D ultrasound was used to measure Achilles free tendon length, and regional cross-sectional area (CSA), medio-lateral (ML) diameter and antero-posterior (AP) diameter in healthy young adults (n=14) at rest and during isometric muscle contraction, immediately before and after 3×15 eccentric heel drops. Post-exercise reductions in transverse strain were limited to CSA and AP diameter in the mid-proximal region of the Achilles free tendon during muscle contraction. The change in CSA strain during muscle contraction was significantly correlated to the change in longitudinal strain (r=−0.72); and the change in AP diameter strain (r=0.64). Overall findings suggest the Achilles free tendon experiences a complex change in 3D morphology following eccentric heel drop exercise that manifests under contractile, but not rest conditions, is most pronounced in the mid-proximal tendon, and primarily driven by changes in AP diameter strain and not ML diameter strain.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Steven J. Obst
- School of Allied Health Sciences and Centre for Musculoskeletal Research, Menzies Health Institute Queensland, Griffith University, Australia
| | - Richard Newsham-West
- School of Allied Health Sciences and Centre for Musculoskeletal Research, Menzies Health Institute Queensland, Griffith University, Australia
| | - Rod S. Barrett
- School of Allied Health Sciences and Centre for Musculoskeletal Research, Menzies Health Institute Queensland, Griffith University, Australia
| |
Collapse
|