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Published in: Knee Surgery, Sports Traumatology, Arthroscopy 9/2012

01-09-2012 | Ankle

Non-uniform displacement within the Achilles tendon during passive ankle joint motion

Authors: Anton Arndt, Ann-Sophie Bengtsson, Michael Peolsson, Alf Thorstensson, Tomas Movin

Published in: Knee Surgery, Sports Traumatology, Arthroscopy | Issue 9/2012

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Abstract

Purpose

An initial step in the understanding of Achilles tendon dynamics is to investigate the effects of passive motion, thereby minimising muscle activation and reducing internal joint forces. Internal tendon dynamics during passive ankle joint motion have direct implications for clinical rehabilitation protocols after Achilles tendon surgery. The aim of this study was to test the hypothesis that tendon tissue displacement is different in different layers of the Achilles tendon during controlled passive ankle joint movements.

Methods

Ultrasound imaging was conducted on the right Achilles tendon of nine healthy recreationally active males. Standardised isokinetic passive dorsi-plantar-flexion movements were performed with a total range of motion of 35°. The tendon was divided into superficial, central and deep layers in the resulting B-mode ultrasound images viewed in the sagittal plane. A block-matching speckle tracking algorithm was applied post-process, with kernels for the measurement of displacement placed in each of the layers.

Results

The mean (SD) displacement of the Achilles tendon during passive dorsiflexion was 8.4 (1.9) mm in the superficial layer, 9.4 (1.9) mm in the central portion and 10.4 (2.1) mm in the deep layer, respectively. In all cases, the movement of the deep layer of the tendon was greater than that of the superficial one (P < 0.01).

Conclusions

These results, achieved in vivo with ultrasonographic speckle tracking, indicated complex dynamic differences in different layers of the Achilles tendon, which could have implications for the understanding of healing processes of tendon pathologies and also of normal tendon function.
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Metadata
Title
Non-uniform displacement within the Achilles tendon during passive ankle joint motion
Authors
Anton Arndt
Ann-Sophie Bengtsson
Michael Peolsson
Alf Thorstensson
Tomas Movin
Publication date
01-09-2012
Publisher
Springer-Verlag
Published in
Knee Surgery, Sports Traumatology, Arthroscopy / Issue 9/2012
Print ISSN: 0942-2056
Electronic ISSN: 1433-7347
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1007/s00167-011-1801-9

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