Intratendinous Air Phenomenon: A New Ultrasound Marker of Tendon Damage?

• Main Authors: Saulius Rutkauskas, Vidas Paleckis, Albertas Skurvydas, Danguole Satkunskiene, Marius Brazaitis, Audrius Snieckus, Neringa Baranauskiene, Ruslanas Rancevas, Sigitas Kamandulis
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Frontiers Media S.A. 2017-08-01
• Series: Frontiers in Physiology
• Subjects: vacuum phenomenon; exercise-induced muscle damage; metabolic fatigue; drop jumps; tendons
• Online Access: http://journal.frontiersin.org/article/10.3389/fphys.2017.00570/full

Purpose: To explore the presence of intratendinous air in physically active males after different types of strenuous physical exercise.Materials and Methods: To detect foci (air bubbles) in the quadriceps femoris tendon (QFT) and the proximal and distal parts of the patellar tendon, ultrasound examination was performed under two conditions: (1) after high-intensity cycling on a cycle ergometer (metabolic); (2) after 200 drop jumps (exercise-induced muscle damage). Based on the results of these two interventions, the presence of air in the tendons after 100 drop jumps was examined further with frequently repeated ultrasound measurements.Results: Foci were detected in exercise-induced muscle damage. Twenty-three of Sixty investigated tendons (38.3%) were observed to contain hyperechoic foci after 100 drop jumps. QFT foci were present in 13/23 cases (56.5%). The location of foci in the QFT was mostly lateral and centro-lateral (76.9%). The foci disappeared completely between 40 and 180 min after completing 100 drop jumps.Conclusions: The presence of intratendinous air seems related to high-magnitude, high-force, high-strain exercise of the particular tendon areas. It might represent the stress response of tendons to overload condition.