Departments of Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation; and.
Orthopaedics, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, Utah.
Clin J Sport Med. 2024 May 1;34(3):297-303. doi: 10.1097/JSM.0000000000001183. Epub 2023 Aug 4.
This study aimed to determine the prevalence of ultrasound abnormalities in the Achilles tendon, patellar tendon, and plantar fascia among a large cohort of collegiate student-athletes.
Observational cross-sectional study.
Three Division I institutions.
243 student-athletes participated in this study. Exclusion criteria included those younger than 18 years or who underwent prior surgery/amputation of structures, including anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) surgeries with patellar tendon grafts.
Ultrasound examination of the Achilles tendon, patellar tendon, and plantar fascia of each leg was performed. An experienced sonographer reviewed each tendon video in a blinded manner, with a separate experienced sonographer separately reviewing to establish inter-rater reliability.
The primary outcome measured was the presence of any sonographic abnormality including hypoechogenicity, thickening, or neovascularity.
Ultrasound abnormalities were identified in 10.1%, 37.2%, and 3.9% of all Achilles tendons, patellar tendons, and plantar fasciae, respectively. Abnormalities were significantly associated with the presence of concurrent pain for all structures ( P < 0.01). Specifically, athletes with sonographic abnormalities were approximately 4 times [relative risk (RR) = 4.25; 95% confidence interval (CI), 2.05-8.84], 6 times (RR = 5.69; 95% CI, 2.31-14.00), and 5 times (RR = 5.17; 95% CI, 1.76-15.25) more likely to self-report pain in the Achilles tendon, patellar tendon, and plantar fascia, respectively.
This multi-institutional study completed at 3 Division I institutions is the largest study of its kind to identify the prevalence of sonographic abnormalities in the Achilles tendon, patellar tendon, and plantar fascia among collegiate student-athletes of various sports.
本研究旨在确定在大型大学生运动员队列中，跟腱、髌腱和足底筋膜的超声异常发生率。
观察性横断面研究。
三所一级机构。
共有 243 名运动员参加了这项研究。排除标准包括年龄小于 18 岁或既往接受过结构手术/截肢的运动员，包括前交叉韧带（ACL）手术伴髌腱移植物。
对每条腿的跟腱、髌腱和足底筋膜进行超声检查。一名经验丰富的超声技师以盲法方式对每条肌腱的视频进行评估，同时另一名经验丰富的超声技师进行单独评估以建立组内可靠性。
主要测量指标为是否存在任何超声异常，包括低回声、增厚或新生血管。
所有跟腱、髌腱和足底筋膜的超声异常发生率分别为 10.1%、37.2%和 3.9%。异常与所有结构的同时存在疼痛显著相关（P<0.01）。具体而言，超声异常的运动员跟腱、髌腱和足底筋膜疼痛的相对风险（RR）分别为 4.25（95%可信区间[CI]，2.05-8.84）、6.00（95%CI，2.31-14.00）和 5.17（95%CI，1.76-15.25）。
这项在三所一级机构完成的多机构研究是同类研究中最大的一项，旨在确定各种运动的大学生运动员跟腱、髌腱和足底筋膜的超声异常发生率。
