Key Laboratory of Exercise and Health Sciences of Ministry of Education, Shanghai University of Sport, Shanghai 200438, China.
Institute of Sport and Sport Science, University of Freiburg, 79098 Freiburg, Germany.
Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2021 Aug 26;18(17):8974. doi: 10.3390/ijerph18178974.
Patients with Achilles tendon (AT) injuries are often engaged in sedentary work because of decreasing tendon vascularisation. Furthermore, men are more likely to be exposed to AT tendinosis or ruptures. These conditions are related to the morphological and mechanical properties of AT, but the mechanism remains unclear. This study aimed to investigate the effects of sex on the morphological and mechanical properties of the AT in inactive individuals.
In total, 30 inactive healthy participants (15 male participants and 15 female participants) were recruited. The AT morphological properties (cross-sectional area, thickness, and length) were captured by using an ultrasound device. The AT force-elongation characteristics were determined during isometric plantarflexion with the ultrasonic videos. The AT stiffness was determined at 50%-100% maximum voluntary contraction force. The AT strain, stress, and hysteresis were calculated.
Male participants had 15% longer AT length, 31% larger AT cross-sectional area and 21% thicker AT than female participants ( < 0.05). The plantarflexion torque, peak AT force, peak AT stress, and AT stiffness were significantly greater in male participants than in female participants ( < 0.05). However, no significant sex-specific differences were observed in peak AT strain and hysteresis ( > 0.05).
In physically inactive adults, the morphological properties of AT were superior in men but were exposed to higher stress conditions. Moreover, no significant sex-specific differences were observed in peak AT strain and hysteresis, indicating that the AT of males did not store and return elastic energy more efficiently than that of females. Thus, the mechanical properties of the AT should be maintained and/or improved through physical exercise.
由于跟腱（AT）血管化减少，患有跟腱损伤的患者通常从事久坐的工作。此外，男性更有可能患上跟腱腱病或跟腱断裂。这些疾病与 AT 的形态和机械特性有关，但机制尚不清楚。本研究旨在探讨性别对非活动个体 AT 的形态和机械特性的影响。
共招募了 30 名非活跃的健康参与者（15 名男性参与者和 15 名女性参与者）。使用超声设备捕获 AT 的形态特性（横截面积、厚度和长度）。使用超声视频在等长跖屈过程中确定 AT 的力-伸长特性。在 50%-100%最大自主收缩力下确定 AT 刚度。计算 AT 应变、应力和滞后。
男性参与者的 AT 长度比女性参与者长 15%，横截面积大 31%，厚度大 21%（<0.05）。男性参与者的跖屈扭矩、峰值 AT 力、峰值 AT 应力和 AT 刚度均显著大于女性参与者（<0.05）。然而，峰值 AT 应变和滞后没有表现出显著的性别差异（>0.05）。
在非活跃的成年人中，男性的 AT 形态特性较好，但承受的应力条件较高。此外，峰值 AT 应变和滞后没有表现出显著的性别差异，表明男性的 AT 并没有比女性更有效地储存和返回弹性能量。因此，应该通过体育锻炼来维持和/或改善 AT 的机械性能。
