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Cited by 17Tendon Structure and TreatmentSports Performance and TrainingUltrasound Imaging and Elastography

Tendinous tissue properties after short‐ and long‐term functional overload: Differences between controls, 12 weeks and 4 years of resistance training

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Massey, G. J., Balshaw, T. G., Maden‐Wilkinson, T. M., Folland, J. P.·2018·Acta Physiologica
DOI 10.1111/apha.13019
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Abstract

Aim: The potential for tendinous tissues to adapt to functional overload, especially after several years of exposure to heavy‐resistance training, is largely unexplored. This study compared the morphological and mechanical characteristics of the patellar tendon and knee extensor tendon‐aponeurosis complex between young men exposed to long‐term (4 years; n = 16), short‐term (12 weeks; n = 15) and no (untrained controls; n = 39) functional overload in the form of heavy‐resistance training. Methods: Patellar tendon cross‐sectional area, vastus lateralis aponeurosis area and quadriceps femoris volume, plus patellar tendon stiffness and Young's modulus, and tendon‐aponeurosis complex stiffness, were quantified with MRI, dynamometry and ultrasonography. Results: As expected, long‐term trained had greater muscle strength and volume (+58% and +56% vs untrained, both P < .001), as well as a greater aponeurosis area (+17% vs untrained, P < .01), but tendon cross‐sectional area (mean and regional) was not different between groups. Only long‐term trained had reduced patellar tendon elongation/strain over the whole force/stress range, whilst both short‐term and long‐term overload groups had similarly greater stiffness/Young's modulus at high force/stress (short‐term +25/22%, and long‐term +17/23% vs untrained; all P < .05). Tendon‐aponeurosis complex stiffness was not different between groups (ANOVA, P = .149). Conclusion: Despite large differences in muscle strength and size, years of resistance training did not induce tendon hypertrophy. Both short‐term and long‐term overload demonstrated similar increases in high‐force mechanical and material stiffness, but reduced elongation/strain over the whole force/stress range occurred only after years of overload, indicating a force/strain specific time‐course to these adaptations.

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Authors
Massey, G. J., Balshaw, T. G., Maden‐Wilkinson, T. M., & Folland, J. P.
Affiliations
Loughborough University (GB)
Corresponding author
Folland, J. P.
ORCID
Venue
Acta Physiologica
Publisher
Wiley
Published
2018-01-19
Volume
222
Issue
4
Pages
e13019-e13019
ISSN
  • 1748-1708 (ISSN-L)
  • 1748-1716
DOI
10.1111/apha.13019
OpenAlex
W2776090751
Cited by
17
References
67
Citations by year
2025: 1 · 2024: 4 · 2023: 3 · 2022: 1 · 2021: 2 · 2019: 5 · 2018: 1
FWCI
1.80
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Licence
Locations
  • Acta Physiologica (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • SHURA (Sheffield Hallam University Research Archive) (Sheffield Hallam University) (acceptedVersion)
  • Loughborough University Institutional Repository (Loughborough University) (submittedVersion, cc-by-nc-nd)
  • Loughborough University Research Repository (Loughborough University) (submittedVersion, cc-by-nc-nd)
Funders
Arthritis Research UK
Topics
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Orthopedics and Sports Medicine › Tendon Structure and Treatment
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Orthopedics and Sports Medicine › Sports Performance and Training
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Radiology, Nuclear Medicine and Imaging › Ultrasound Imaging and Elastography
Keywords
tendons, resistance training, functional overload, patellar tendon, tendon stiffness, Young's modulus, tendon hypertrophy, aponeurosis, tendon strain, tendon adaptation, muscle strength
MeSH terms
Aponeurosis, Adaptation, Physiological, Adult, Humans, Hypertrophy, Knee Joint, Male, Tendons, Muscle, Skeletal, Resistance Training, Elastic Modulus, Young Adult

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