Johnson Luke A, Hilger Kristin S, Mills Shelby, Stokes Derek, Casey Ellen, Eby Sarah F, Cushman Daniel M
Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, Utah, USA.
Department of Orthopaedics, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, Utah, USA.
Transl Sports Med. 2025 Aug 5;2025:1458964. doi: 10.1155/tsm2/1458964. eCollection 2025.
To prospectively identify the development and regression of Achilles and patellar sonographic abnormalities in collegiate athletes. Prior to the beginning of their seasons, the Achilles and patellar tendons of collegiate athletes were sonographically videoed by an experienced sonographer. Subjects were then re-recorded at the end of 1 year of competition in an identical manner. Measurements were obtained using consistent predetermined protocols for each participant. Videos of the results were assessed in a blinded manner for echogenicity, tendon thickening, and neovascularization. A total of 147 patellar and 148 Achilles tendons were recorded, with 40.1% of patellar and 16.2% of Achilles tendons identified to have abnormalities at baseline. Of all tendons analyzed, zero patellar and one Achilles tendon were transformed from "abnormal" to "normal"-this single tendon showed only a single neovessel without hypoechogenicity or thickening. Of all tendons initially categorized as "normal," only 4 patellar tendons switched categories to "abnormal" by the second scan, all with new hypoechogenic foci. Amongst these, all participants were asymptomatic. This prospective study demonstrated that all Achilles and patellar tendons with sonographic abnormalities remain abnormal after 1 year of training and competition, with the exception of a single neovessel on one Achilles tendon that disappeared. A small percentage of collegiate student-athletes developed new abnormalities over a year of practice and competition. This may refute the idea that tendinosis comes and goes in this athletic population, given the minimal change in categorization of participants from either category.
前瞻性地确定大学生运动员跟腱和髌腱超声异常的发展与消退情况。在赛季开始前，由经验丰富的超声检查师对大学生运动员的跟腱和髌腱进行超声录像。然后在比赛1年后以相同方式对受试者进行重新录像。使用一致的预定方案对每位参与者进行测量。对结果视频进行盲法评估，观察回声性、肌腱增厚和新生血管情况。共记录了147条髌腱和148条跟腱，基线时40.1%的髌腱和16.2%的跟腱被确定存在异常。在所有分析的肌腱中，零条髌腱和一条跟腱从“异常”转变为“正常”——这条单一的跟腱仅显示一条新生血管，无低回声或增厚。在所有最初归类为“正常”的肌腱中，第二次扫描时只有4条髌腱类别转变为“异常”，均有新的低回声灶。其中，所有参与者均无症状。这项前瞻性研究表明，经过1年的训练和比赛后，所有存在超声异常的跟腱和髌腱仍保持异常状态，只有一条跟腱上的单个新生血管消失为例外。一小部分大学生运动员在一年的训练和比赛中出现了新的异常情况。鉴于参与者在两种类别中的分类变化极小，这可能反驳了肌腱病在该运动员群体中会反复出现的观点。
