Ultrasound Imaging of the Abdominal Wall and Trunk Muscles in Patients with Achilles Tendinopathy versus Healthy Participants

• Main Authors: Carlos Romero-Morales, Pedro Martín-Llantino, César Calvo-Lobo, Marta San-Antolín, Daniel López-López, María Blanco-Morales, David Rodríguez-Sanz
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: MDPI AG 2019-12-01
• Series: Diagnostics
• Subjects: achilles tendinopathy; musculoskeletal disorders; ultrasonography
• Online Access: https://www.mdpi.com/2075-4418/10/1/17

Purpose: To compare and quantify with ultrasound imaging (USI) the inter-recti distance (IRD), rectus abdominis (RA), external oblique (EO), internal oblique (IO), transversus abdominis (TrAb), and multifidus thickness and the RA and multifidus cross-sectional area (CSA) between individuals with and without chronic mid-portion Achilles tendinopathy (AT). Methods: A cross-sectional study. A sample of 143 patients were recruited and divided into two groups: A group comprised of chronic mid-portion AT (<i>n</i> = 71) and B group composed of healthy subjects (<i>n</i> = 72). The IRD, RA, EO, IO, TrAb, and multifidus thickness, as well as RA and multifidus CSA, were measured by USI. Results: USI measurements for the EO (<i>p</i> = 0.001), IO (<i>p</i> = 0.001), TrAb (<i>p</i> = 0.041) and RA (<i>p</i> = 0.001) thickness were decreased as well as IRD (<i>p</i> = 0.001) and multifidus thickness (<i>p</i> = 0.001) and CSA (<i>p</i> = 0.001) were increased for the tendinopathy group with respect the healthy group. Linear regression prediction models (<i>R</i>² = 0.260 &#8722; 0.494; <i>p</i> &lt; 0.05) for the IRD, RA, EO, and IO thickness (<i>R</i>² = 0.494), as well as multifidus CSA and thickness were determined by weight, height, BMI and AT presence. Conclusions: EO, IO, TrAb, and RA thickness was reduced and IRD, multifidus thickness and CSA were increased in patients with AT.