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The Effect of Loading Speed and Intensity During Exercise on the Immediate Structural Changes in the Achilles Tendon

NCT06057779 · Status: COMPLETED · Phase: NA · Type: INTERVENTIONAL · Enrollment: 34

Last updated 2024-06-05

No results posted yet for this study

Summary

Aim: To assess the influence of loading speed and intensity during eccentric heel drop exercise on the immediate changes in Achilles tendon thickness and stiffness in healthy controls.

Intervention: Three eccentric heel drop exercise protocols, different in loading speed and/or loading intensity will be compared. Each participant will perform a single protocol per session in a random sequence at 1-week intervals.

Participants: a total of 34 healthy athletes will be included.

Outcome measure: tendon thickness and stiffness will be measured at baseline and immediately following intervention with ultrasound imaging (B-mode) and shear wave elastography, respectively.

Discussion: the study will determine whether an eccentric exercise intervention involving a low loading speed and high intensity could maximize the immediate reduction in thickness and associated increase in stiffness of the Achilles tendon compared with interventions involving a higher loading speed and lower intensity.

Conditions

  • Achilles Tendinopathy

Interventions

OTHER

Slow and heavy exercise therapy

6 sets of 10 single leg isolated eccentric heel drops into maximal dorsiflexion at an exercise speed of 0.33 Hz, with 1-min rest period between each set.

OTHER

Slow and light exercise therapy

6 sets of 10 single leg isolated eccentric heel drops into neutral ankle position at an exercise speed of 0.33 Hz, with 1-min rest period between each set.

OTHER

Fast and heavy exercise therapy

6 sets of 30 single leg isolated eccentric heel drops into maximal dorsiflexion at an exercise speed of 1 Hz, with 1-min rest period between each set.

Sponsors & Collaborators

  • University Hospital, Ghent

    lead OTHER

Principal Investigators

  • Luc Vanden Bossche · University Hospital, Ghent

Study Design

Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Purpose
TREATMENT
Masking
SINGLE
Model
CROSSOVER

Eligibility

Min Age
18 Years
Max Age
55 Years
Sex
ALL
Healthy Volunteers
Yes

Timeline & Regulatory

Start
2023-09-25
Primary Completion
2024-01-10
Completion
2024-01-10

Countries

  • Belgium

Study Locations

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Read the full study record

This page highlights key information. For complete eligibility criteria, study locations, investigator contacts, and the full protocol, visit the original record on ClinicalTrials.gov.

View NCT06057779 on ClinicalTrials.gov