{"title":"Patients with Achilles tendinopathy use compensation strategies to reduce tendon load during rehabilitation exercises","authors":"Frea Deroost , Davide Petrella , Ine Mylle , Benedicte Vanwanseele","doi":"10.1016/j.clinbiomech.2024.106403","DOIUrl":null,"url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Background</h3><div>This study aimed to determine differences in the Achilles tendon loading during rehabilitation exercises for Achilles tendinopathy and the ranking of these exercises, based on load, in patients with tendinopathy and controls.</div></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div>Sixteen patients with Achilles Tendinopathy (5F & 11 M, 44.1 ± 12.9 yr) and sixteen controls (4F & 12 M, 39.4 ± 15.6 yr) performed rehabilitation exercises while 3D motion and ground reaction forces were measured. Musculoskeletal modeling was used to compute joint kinematics and estimate Achilles tendon load by summing the forces of individual triceps surae muscles. Subsequently, peak Achilles tendon loading, loading impulse, loading rate, loading indexes (a combination of the previous parameters), and joint angles at the time of peak loading were determined and compared between patients and controls.</div></div><div><h3>Findings</h3><div>Patients with tendinopathy exhibited significantly reduced peak Achilles tendon loading compared to controls during the exercises with the highest peak loading: unilateral heel drop with flexed knee (3.66 ± 0.90BW [AT] vs. 4.65 ± 1.10BW [Control], <em>p</em> = 0.003, d = 0.979) and walking (3.37 ± 0.49BW [AT] vs. 3.68 ± 0.33BW [Control], <em>p</em> = 0.044, d = 0.742). Additionally, during the heel drop exercise, patients with tendinopathy showed reduced ankle dorsiflexion and knee flexion. The ranking of exercises by peak loading or loading index was similar for both groups but varied depending on which loading parameter was used to define Achilles tendon loading.</div></div><div><h3>Interpretation</h3><div>During the highest load-imposing exercises, patients with tendinopathy employ compensatory strategies to reduce the load on their Achilles tendon. Clear instructions and feedback on the patient's performance are crucial as altered exercise execution influences Achilles tendon loading.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":50992,"journal":{"name":"Clinical Biomechanics","volume":"122 ","pages":"Article 106403"},"PeriodicalIF":1.4000,"publicationDate":"2025-02-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":"0","resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":null,"PeriodicalName":"Clinical Biomechanics","FirstCategoryId":"5","ListUrlMain":"https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0268003324002353","RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":null,"EPubDate":"","PubModel":"","JCR":"Q4","JCRName":"ENGINEERING, BIOMEDICAL","Score":null,"Total":0}
引用次数: 0
Abstract
Background
This study aimed to determine differences in the Achilles tendon loading during rehabilitation exercises for Achilles tendinopathy and the ranking of these exercises, based on load, in patients with tendinopathy and controls.
Methods
Sixteen patients with Achilles Tendinopathy (5F & 11 M, 44.1 ± 12.9 yr) and sixteen controls (4F & 12 M, 39.4 ± 15.6 yr) performed rehabilitation exercises while 3D motion and ground reaction forces were measured. Musculoskeletal modeling was used to compute joint kinematics and estimate Achilles tendon load by summing the forces of individual triceps surae muscles. Subsequently, peak Achilles tendon loading, loading impulse, loading rate, loading indexes (a combination of the previous parameters), and joint angles at the time of peak loading were determined and compared between patients and controls.
Findings
Patients with tendinopathy exhibited significantly reduced peak Achilles tendon loading compared to controls during the exercises with the highest peak loading: unilateral heel drop with flexed knee (3.66 ± 0.90BW [AT] vs. 4.65 ± 1.10BW [Control], p = 0.003, d = 0.979) and walking (3.37 ± 0.49BW [AT] vs. 3.68 ± 0.33BW [Control], p = 0.044, d = 0.742). Additionally, during the heel drop exercise, patients with tendinopathy showed reduced ankle dorsiflexion and knee flexion. The ranking of exercises by peak loading or loading index was similar for both groups but varied depending on which loading parameter was used to define Achilles tendon loading.
Interpretation
During the highest load-imposing exercises, patients with tendinopathy employ compensatory strategies to reduce the load on their Achilles tendon. Clear instructions and feedback on the patient's performance are crucial as altered exercise execution influences Achilles tendon loading.
期刊介绍:
Clinical Biomechanics is an international multidisciplinary journal of biomechanics with a focus on medical and clinical applications of new knowledge in the field.
The science of biomechanics helps explain the causes of cell, tissue, organ and body system disorders, and supports clinicians in the diagnosis, prognosis and evaluation of treatment methods and technologies. Clinical Biomechanics aims to strengthen the links between laboratory and clinic by publishing cutting-edge biomechanics research which helps to explain the causes of injury and disease, and which provides evidence contributing to improved clinical management.
A rigorous peer review system is employed and every attempt is made to process and publish top-quality papers promptly.
Clinical Biomechanics explores all facets of body system, organ, tissue and cell biomechanics, with an emphasis on medical and clinical applications of the basic science aspects. The role of basic science is therefore recognized in a medical or clinical context. The readership of the journal closely reflects its multi-disciplinary contents, being a balance of scientists, engineers and clinicians.
The contents are in the form of research papers, brief reports, review papers and correspondence, whilst special interest issues and supplements are published from time to time.
Disciplines covered include biomechanics and mechanobiology at all scales, bioengineering and use of tissue engineering and biomaterials for clinical applications, biophysics, as well as biomechanical aspects of medical robotics, ergonomics, physical and occupational therapeutics and rehabilitation.