Investigation of Biomechanical and Viscoelastic Properties of Achilles Tendon in Professional Soccer Players According to Position

Öz

As in all performance athletes, too hard or too soft Achilles tendon (AT) affects athletic performance and increases the risk of injury in soccer players. The aim of this study was to know the tendon stiffness and mechanical properties of the tendon according to the positions and thus to apply appropriate training programs for the structural improvement of the mechanical properties of the AT according to the positions of the soccer players. In this study, 21 male professional soccer players with a mean age of 18.19±0.402 years, mean height of 180.48±6.258 cm, mean body weight of 70.71±7.823 kg, and mean BMI of 21.66±1.65 kg/m₂ were included. The mechanical and viscoelastic properties of the AT were evaluated with the highly reliable MyotonPro device (Myoton AS, Estonia). AT measurements of professional soccer players were performed 4 cm above the distal insertion of the tendon (calcaneal tubercle) after determining the distal insertion of the tendon in the prone position with the ankles hanging from the table in a neutral position. Although there was a significant result (p<0.05) when AT elasticity was analyzed by position, there was no significant result when post-doc pairwise comparison was analyzed. Statistical analysis showed that there was no significant difference between the positions played by soccer players in terms of AT mechanical properties. The fact that everyone in the team performed the same training and the measurements were performed on soccer players with similar body structure regionally affected the characteristics of the data obtained. In this sense, it is thought that examining the AT structures of soccer players according to their positions will contribute to improvements in strength output with training. In addition, the findings obtained from this study may support coaches and health professionals in determining the risk of tendon pathologies that may occur in athletes, in athlete rehabilitation, and in increasing and maintaining athletic performance. It is predicted that increasing the number of participants in future studies on the mechanical and viscoelastic properties of AT in soccer players will provide more reliable information to the researchers.

Anahtar Kelimeler

• soccer
• achilles tendon
• tendon stiffness
• myoton

Profesyonel Futbolcularda Aşil Tendonunun Biyomekanik ve Viskoelastik Özelliklerinin Mevkilere Göre İncelenmesi

Öz

Tüm performans sporcularında olduğu gibi futbolcularda da aşil tendon’un (AT) çok sert ya da yumuşak olması atletik performansı etkilediği gibi sakatlık riskini de artırmaktadır. Bu çalışmanın amacı, tendon sertlik ve mekanik özelliklerinin mevkilere göre bilinmesi bu sayede futbolcuların mevkilerine göre AT mekanik özelliklerinin yapısal olarak geliştirilmesi için uygun antrenman programlarının uygulanmasıdır. Bu çalışmaya yaş ortalaması 18,19±0,402 yıl, , boy ortalaması 180,48±6,258 cm, vücut ağırlığı ortalaması 70,71±7,823 kg, BKİ ortalamaları 21,66±1,65 kg/m₂ olan 21 erkek profesyonel futbolcu dahil edildi. AT mekanik ve viskoelastik özellikleri yüksek güvenirlikte MyotonPro cihazı (Myoton AS, Estonia) ile değerlendirildi. Profesyonel futbolcuların AT ölçümleri ayak bilekleri nötr pozisyonda masadan sarkacak şekilde yüz üstü yattıkları pozisyonda tendonun distal insersiyosu (kalkaneal tüberkül) belirlendikten sonra bu noktanın 4 cm yukarısından gerçekleştirildi. AT elastisitesi mevkilere incelendiğinde anlamlı bir sonuç (p<0,05) çıkmasına rağmen Post-Doc ikili karşılaştırmaya bakıldığında anlamlı bir sonuç çıkmamıştır. İstatistiksel analiz, futbol branşı ile ilgilenen sporcuların oynadıkları mevkiler arasında AT mekanik özellikleri açısından anlamlı bir fark olmadığını göstermiştir. Takımda herkesin aynı antrenmanı yapması ve bölgesel olarak benzer vücut yapısında futbolculara ölçümlerin uygulanması elde edilen verilerin özelliklerini etkilemiştir. Bu anlamda futbolcuların mevkilerine göre AT yapılarının incelenmesinin, antrenmanlarla kuvvet çıktısında gelişmelere katkı sağlayacağı düşünülmektedir. Ayrıca bu çalışmadan elde edilen bulguların antrenörler ile birlikte sağlık çalışanlarına, sporcularda oluşabilecek tendon patolojileri riskini belirlemede, sporcu rehabilitasyonunda, atletik performansı artırmada ve sürdürmede destek olabilir. Futbolcularda AT’un mekanik ve viskoelastik özellikleri ile ilgili ileride yapılacak çalışmalarda katılımcı sayılarının arttırılmasının araştırmacılara daha güvenilir bilgiler vereceği öngörülmektedir.

Anahtar Kelimeler

• myoton
• Futbol
• Aşil Tendon
• Tendon Sertliği

Kaynakça

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