Achilles tendon loading is lower in older adults than young adults across a broad range of walking speeds.

ABSTRACT: The purpose of this study was to investigate age-related differences in Achilles tendon loading during gait. Fourteen young (7F/7M, 26 ± 5 years) and older (7F/7M, 67 ± 5 years) adults without current neurological or orthopaedic impairment participated. Shear wave tensiometry was used to measure tendon stress by tracking Achilles tendon wave speed. The wave speed-stress relationship was calibrated using simultaneously collected tensiometer and force plate measures during a standing sway task. Tendon stress was computed from the force plate measures using subject-specific ultrasound measures of tendon moment arm and cross-sectional area. All subjects exhibited a highly linear relationship between wave speed squared and tendon stress (mean R² > 0.9), with no significant age-group

SUBMITTER: Ebrahimi A 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7328904 | biostudies-literature | 2020 Aug

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature