title: The morphology and symptom history of the Achilles tendons of figure skaters: an observational study.
abstract: This cross-sectional study assessed the prevalence of Achilles tendinopathy symptoms and ultrasound (US) abnormalities in male and female ice skaters, and compared this to age-matched controls. The 20 skaters of mean (sd) age 17.3 (7.9) were recruited from British figure skating clubs. The 17 non-skaters of mean age 18.0 (3.7) were recruited from a secondary school and university. Each group had 12 females. All participants completed a questionnaire, and Achilles tendons were ultrasound-scanned for thickening, hypoechoic areas, paratenon blurring and neovascularization. Skaters experienced significantly more lifetime symptoms (p=0.012) than the control group but there were no differences in present symptoms. Mid-tendon longitudinal thickness and the coefficient of variation (CoV) for longitudinal tendon thickness were significantly greater in the skaters (p=0.001 and p=0.017 respectively). No other ultrasound abnormalities were detected in either group. Figure skaters may be at a greater risk of Achilles tendon problems than the general population and have adaptive changes in their tendons.
authors.affiliation: National Clinical Guideline Centre, Royal College of Physicians, London, UK.
authors.forename: Mark
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Perry
authors.forename: Eleanor
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Tillett
authors.forename: Sophie
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Mitchell
authors.forename: Nicola
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Maffulli
authors.forename: Dylan
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Morrissey
keywords: Achilles; skating; sonography; tendinopathy; ultrasonography