TY - JOUR
T1 - A cross-sectional study on the mechanical properties of the Achilles tendon with growth
AU - Mogi, Yasuyoshi
AU - Torii, Suguru
AU - Kawakami, Yasuo
AU - Yanai, Toshimasa
N1 - Funding Information:
This work was supported in part by Kozuki
Publisher Copyright:
© 2017, Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Nature.
PY - 2018/1/1
Y1 - 2018/1/1
N2 - Purpose: This study aimed to elucidate growth pattern of mechanical properties of the Achilles tendon and to examine if imbalance between growth of bone and muscle–tendon unit occurs during adolescence. Methods: Fourteen elementary school boys, 30 junior high school boys, 20 high school boys and 15 male adults participated in this study. Based on estimated age at peak height velocity (PHV), junior high school boys were separated into two groups (before or after PHV). An ultrasonography technique was used to determine the length, cross-sectional area, stiffness and Young’s modulus of Achilles tendon. In addition, the maximum strain in “toe region” (strainTP) was determined to describe the balance between growth of bone and muscle–tendon unit. Results: No group difference was observed in length, cross-sectional area and strainTP among the groups. However, stiffness and Young’s modulus in after PHV groups were significantly higher than those of elementary school boys and before PHV groups (p ≤ 0.05). Conclusions: These results indicate that mechanical properties of Achilles tendon change dramatically at and/or around PHV to increased stiffness. The widely believed assumption that muscle–tendon unit is passively stretched due to rapid bone growth in adolescence is not supported.
AB - Purpose: This study aimed to elucidate growth pattern of mechanical properties of the Achilles tendon and to examine if imbalance between growth of bone and muscle–tendon unit occurs during adolescence. Methods: Fourteen elementary school boys, 30 junior high school boys, 20 high school boys and 15 male adults participated in this study. Based on estimated age at peak height velocity (PHV), junior high school boys were separated into two groups (before or after PHV). An ultrasonography technique was used to determine the length, cross-sectional area, stiffness and Young’s modulus of Achilles tendon. In addition, the maximum strain in “toe region” (strainTP) was determined to describe the balance between growth of bone and muscle–tendon unit. Results: No group difference was observed in length, cross-sectional area and strainTP among the groups. However, stiffness and Young’s modulus in after PHV groups were significantly higher than those of elementary school boys and before PHV groups (p ≤ 0.05). Conclusions: These results indicate that mechanical properties of Achilles tendon change dramatically at and/or around PHV to increased stiffness. The widely believed assumption that muscle–tendon unit is passively stretched due to rapid bone growth in adolescence is not supported.
KW - Growth
KW - Muscle–tendon imbalance
KW - Peak height velocity
KW - Stiffness
KW - Young’s modulus
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U2 - 10.1007/s00421-017-3760-4
DO - 10.1007/s00421-017-3760-4
M3 - Article
C2 - 29177722
AN - SCOPUS:85035150448
SN - 1439-6319
VL - 118
SP - 185
EP - 194
JO - European Journal of Applied Physiology
JF - European Journal of Applied Physiology
IS - 1
ER -
