TY - JOUR A1 - Cassel, Michael A1 - Carlsohn, Anja A1 - Fröhlich, Katja A1 - John, Mareike A1 - Riegels, N. A1 - Mayer, Frank T1 - Tendon Adaptation to Sport-specific Loading in Adolescent Athletes JF - International journal of sports medicine N2 - Tendon adaptation due to mechanical loading is controversially discussed. However, data concerning the development of tendon thickness in adolescent athletes is sparse. The purpose of this study was to examine possible differences in Achilles (AT) and patellar tendon (PT) thickness in adolescent athletes while considering age, gender and sport-specific loading. In 500 adolescent competitive athletes of 16 different sports and 40 recreational controls both ATs and PTs were sonographically measured. Subjects were divided into 2 age groups (< 13; ≥ 13 years) and 6 sport type categories (ball, combat, and water sports, combined disciplines, cycling, controls). In addition, 3 risk groups (low, moderate, high) were created according to the athlete’s risk of developing tendinopathy. AT and PT thickness did not significantly differ between age groups (AT/PT:<13: 5.4±0.7 mm/3.6±0.5 mm;≥13: 5.3±0.7 mm/3.6±0.5 mm). In both age groups males presented higher tendon thickness than females (p<0.001). AT thickness was highest in ball sports/cyclists and lowest in controls (p≤0.002). PT thickness was greatest in water sports and lowest in controls (p=0.02). High risk athletes presented slightly higher AT thickness compared to the low risk group (p=0.03). Increased AT and PT thickness in certain sport types compared to controls supports the hypothesis of structural tendon adaptation due to sport-specific loading. KW - achilles and patellar tendon KW - training adaptation KW - tendon thickness KW - standard values KW - sonography Y1 - 2016 U6 - https://doi.org/10.1055/s-0035-1559772 SN - 0172-4622 SN - 1439-3964 VL - 37 SP - 159 EP - 164 PB - Thieme CY - Stuttgart ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Bisi-Balogun, Adebisi A1 - Cassel, Michael A1 - Mayer, Frank T1 - Reliability of Various Measurement Stations for Determining Plantar Fascia Thickness and Echogenicity JF - Diagnostics : open access journal N2 - This study aimed to determine the relative and absolute reliability of ultrasound (US) measurements of the thickness and echogenicity of the plantar fascia (PF) at different measurement stations along its length using a standardized protocol. Twelve healthy subjects (24 feet) were enrolled. The PF was imaged in the longitudinal plane. Subjects were assessed twice to evaluate the intra-rater reliability. A quantitative evaluation of the thickness and echogenicity of the plantar fascia was performed using Image J, a digital image analysis and viewer software. A sonography evaluation of the thickness and echogenicity of the PF showed a high relative reliability with an Intra class correlation coefficient of 0.88 at all measurement stations. However, the measurement stations for both the PF thickness and echogenicity which showed the highest intraclass correlation coefficient (ICCs) did not have the highest absolute reliability. Compared to other measurement stations, measuring the PF thickness at 3 cm distal and the echogenicity at a region of interest 1 cm to 2 cm distal from its insertion at the medial calcaneal tubercle showed the highest absolute reliability with the least systematic bias and random error. Also, the reliability was higher using a mean of three measurements compared to one measurement. To reduce discrepancies in the interpretation of the thickness and echogenicity measurements of the PF, the absolute reliability of the different measurement stations should be considered in clinical practice and research rather than the relative reliability with the ICC. KW - plantar fascia KW - reliability KW - sonography KW - musculoskeletal Y1 - 2016 U6 - https://doi.org/10.3390/diagnostics6020015 SN - 2075-4418 VL - 6 SP - 506 EP - 519 PB - MDPI CY - Basel ER -