Abstract
Purpose
To document the magnitude and time course of human Achilles tendon adaptations (i.e. changes in tendon morphological and mechanical properties) during a 12-week high-load plantar flexion training program.
Methods
Ultrasound was used to determine Achilles tendon cross-sectional area (CSA), length and elongation as a function of plantar flexion torque during voluntary plantar flexion. Tendon force–elongation and stress–strain relationships were determined before the start of training (pre-training) and after 4 (post-4), 8 (post-8) and 12 (post-12) training weeks.
Results
At the end of the training program, maximum isometric force had increased by 49% and tendon CSA by 17%, but tendon length, maximal tendon elongation and maximal strain were unchanged. Hence, tendon stiffness had increased by 82%, and so had Young’s modulus, by 86%. Significant changes were first detected at post-4 in stiffness (51% increase) and Young’s modulus (87% increase), and at post-8 in CSA (15% increase).
Conclusions
Achilles tendon material properties already improved after 4 weeks of high-load training: stiffness increased while CSA remained unchanged. Tendon hypertrophy (increased CSA) was observed after 8 training weeks and contributed to a further increase in Achilles tendon stiffness, but tendon stiffness increases were mostly caused by adaptations in tissue properties.
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Abbreviations
- ANOVA:
-
Analysis of variance
- Baseline:
-
Evaluation before control period
- CSA:
-
Cross-sectional area
- EMG:
-
Surface electromyography
- ICC:
-
Intraclass correlation coefficient
- MTJ:
-
Myotendinous junction
- MVIC:
-
Maximal voluntary isometric contraction
- Post-12:
-
After 12 high loading training weeks
- Post-4:
-
After 4 high loading training weeks
- Post-8:
-
After 8 high loading training weeks
- Pre-training:
-
After a 4-week control period
- StiffnessABS :
-
Slope of the force–elongation curve obtained from 50 to 100% of peak force of the weakest participant
- StiffnessREL :
-
Slope of the force–elongation curve obtained from 50 to 100% of maximal isometric voluntary force
- TL:
-
Tendon length
- US:
-
Ultrasound
- W:
-
Watts
- YM:
-
Young’s Modulus
- YMABS :
-
Slope of the stress–strain curve obtained from 50 to 100% of peak force of the weakest participant
- YMREL :
-
Slope of the stress–strain curve obtained from 50 to 100% of maximal isometric voluntary stress
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Acknowledgements
The authors would like to acknowledge Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES), Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq), Programa Ciências Sem Fronteiras (CSF) and Financiadora de Estudos e Projetos (FINEP) from Brazil for financial support, and Amanda de Lima and Mayra Casa Nova for technical support.
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Study conception and design: JMG, MAV, BMB, data acquisition: JMG, FJL. Analysis and interpretation of data: JMG, RRB, FJL, BMB, MFB, MAV. Drafting of manuscript: JMG, BMB, RRB, FJL, MFB, MAV. Critical revision: JMG, BMB, RRB, FJL, MFB, MAV.
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Communicated by Olivier Seynnes.
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Geremia, J.M., Baroni, B.M., Bobbert, M.F. et al. Effects of high loading by eccentric triceps surae training on Achilles tendon properties in humans. Eur J Appl Physiol 118, 1725–1736 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00421-018-3904-1
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00421-018-3904-1