Real-time sonoelastography of the patellar and quadriceps tendons: pattern description in professional athletes and healthy volunteers.
OBJECTIVE
The comparison of elastographic features of quadriceps and patellar tendons in a group of professional athletes and healthy volunteers and the description of elasticity characteristics of these tendons.


METHODS
Thirty-nine professional athletes (22 male, 17 female; mean age 18.5 years) and 35 healthy volunteers (21 male, 14 female; mean age 19 years) were included. They were divided into two groups by gender. Quadriceps tendon, patellar side of the patellar tendon, and tibial side of the patellar tendon elasticity patterns and strain ratios were investigated with real-time ultrasound elastography. The elasticity features of the dominant leg and non-dominant leg of athletes and volunteers legs were compared. In addition quadriceps and patellar tendons were compared separately for three distinct tendon locations.


RESULTS
There was no difference between the athletes and the healthy volunteers and also between the dominant leg and non-dominant leg of athletes. At tendon comparison, the quadriceps tendon was harder than the patellar tendon at both side and patellar side of patellar tendon was found to be stiffer than the tibial side of patellar tendon.


CONCLUSIONS
Although biomechanical studies showed that tendon stiffness increased after long exercise, no significant difference was found between athletes' and healthy volunteers' tendon elasticity. These three tendon locations exhibit different elasticity features and the knowledge of the elasticity feature will be useful in assessing tendon pathologies.
Department of Radiology, Ankara Atatürk Education and Research Hospital, Ankara, Turkey. aysenursirinozcan@gmail.com.
Ayse Nur Sirin
AN
Ozcan
Department of Radiology, Ankara Atatürk Education and Research Hospital, Ankara, Turkey.
Sinan
S
Tan
Department of Radiology, Ankara Atatürk Education and Research Hospital, Ankara, Turkey.
Nuray Gulden
NG
Tangal
Department of Radiology, Ankara Atatürk Education and Research Hospital, Ankara, Turkey.
Saliha
S
Cıracı
Department of Sports Medicine, Ankara Atatürk Education and Research Hospital, Ankara, Turkey.
Savas
S
Kudas
Department of Orthopedics and Traumatology, Ankara Atatürk Education and Research Hospital, Ankara, Turkey.
Suleyman Bulent
SB
Bektaser
Department of Radiology, Ankara Atatürk Education and Research Hospital, Ankara, Turkey.
Halil
H
Arslan
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D056352:Athletes; D054459:Elasticity Imaging Techniques / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D017847:Patellar Ligament / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D012016:Reference Values; D013710:Tendons / Q000033:anatomy & histology* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D055815:Young Adult