title: Patellar ligament hypertrophy evaluated by magnetic resonance imaging in a group of professional weightlifters.
abstract: The aim of this research was to investigate if perennial, professional weightlifting  training, started at puberty, leads to hypertrophy of the patellar ligament  (PL). The knee examinations were performed with a 1.5 T magnetic resonance  imaging system. The area of the cross-sectional area (CSA) of the PL midsubstance  was evaluated in T1-weighted images. A control group of 19 participants  was also examined with the same protocol. A significant increase of the  PL midregion CSA was observed in a group of weightlifters. The area of the PL  midsubstance and the onset of training were very strongly, reversely correlated.  This paper presents the first description of PL midregion hypertrophy due  to professional weightlifting training initialised and continued from a pubertal  spurt. The described overgrowth is more intensified than has been reported for  other parts of the PL. Moreover, it has been observed in the region that is the  least susceptible for injuries, which in another situation could also have led to  increased volume of the PL. The described phenomenon should be considered  by orthopaedic surgeons because it can influence the choice of the surgical  technique for cruciate ligament reconstruction as the PL is one of the structures  for harvesting autografts.
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, Medical University of Lodz, Lodz, Poland. piotr.grzelak@umed.lodz.pl
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Grzelak
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Polguj
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Podgórski
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Majos
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Krochmalski
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Domżalski
mesh_terms: D000222:Adaptation, Physiological / Q000502:physiology*; D000328:Adult; D056352:Athletes; D006801:Humans; D006984:Hypertrophy; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D017847:Patellar Ligament / Q000033:anatomy & histology* / Q000502:physiology*; D014891:Weight Lifting; D055815:Young Adult