Biology subjects

Hullfish, T. J.

Publications and source records attributed to Hullfish, T. J..

6 recordsLinked to original sources

bioRxiv2018

Gastrocnemius fascicles are shorter and more pennate immediately following acute Achilles tendon rupture

The purpose of this study was to characterize the short-term effects of Achilles tendon ruptures on medial gastrocnemius. We hypothesized that the fascicles of the medial gastrocnemius muscle of the injured Achilles tendon would be shorter and more pennate immediately following the injury and would persist throughout 4 weeks post-injury. B-mode longitudinal ultrasound images of the medial gastrocnemius were acquired in 10 adults who suffered acute Achilles tendon ruptures and were treated non-operatively. Ultrasound images were acquired during the initial clinical visit following injury as well as two and four weeks following this initial clinical visit. Resting muscle structure was characterized by measuring fascicle length, pennation angle, muscle thickness, and muscle echo intensity in both the injured and contralateral (control) limbs. Fascicle length was 15% shorter (P < 0.001) and pennation angle was 21% greater (P < 0.001) in the injured muscle compared to the uninjured (control) muscle at the presentation of injury (week 0). These differences in fascicle length and pennation angle persisted throughout the 4 weeks after the injury (P < 0.008). Muscle thickness changes were not detected at any of the post-injury visits (difference < 4%, P > 0.04). Echo intensity of the injured limb was 8% lower at the presentation of the injury and 11% lower (P = 0.008) than the contralateral muscle at 2 weeks following injury (P < 0.001) but returned to within 1% by 4 weeks (P = 0.393). Our results suggest that Achilles tendon ruptures elicit rapid changes in the configuration and quality of the medial gastrocnemius, which may explain long-term functional deficits.

bioengineering↗

bioRxiv2018

Tendon Structure Quantified using Ultrasound Imaging Differs Based on Location and Training Type

Achilles tendinopathy is ten-times more common amongst running athletes compared to age-matched peers. Load induced tendon remodeling and its progression in an at-risk population of developing symptomatic tendinopathy is not well understood. The purpose of this study was to prospectively characterize Achilles and patellar tendon structure in competitive collegiate distance runners over different competitive seasons using quantitative ultrasound imaging. Twenty-two collegiate cross country runners and eleven controls were examined for this study. Longitudinal and cross-sectional ultrasound images of bilateral Achilles and patellar tendons were obtained at the one week prior to start of formal collegiate cross country practices, one week after the conclusion of cross country season, and one week prior to outdoor track and field championships. Collagen organization, mean echogenicity, tendon thickness, and neovascularity were determined using well established image processing techniques. We found that Achilles and patellar tendons respond differently to high-volume running and transitions from one sport season to another, suggesting that tendon structure is sensitive to differences in tendon loading biomechanics. Our findings indicate that Achilles tendon structure in trained runners differ structurally to control tendons but is stable throughout training while patellar tendon structure changes in response to the transition in training volume between cross country and track seasons. These findings expand upon prior reports that some degree of tendon remodeling may act as a protective adaptation for sport specific loading.\n\nNews and NoteworthyIn this study we prospectively examined the Achilles and patellar tendon structure of distance runners to determine if continued training through multiple seasons elicits tendon remodeling or pathology. We found that Achilles and patellar tendons respond uniquely to the changing loads required during each season. Achilles tendon collagen alignment is mostly stable throughout the competitive cycle, but the patellar tendon undergoes structural changes following the transition from cross-country to track season.

bioengineering↗

bioRxiv2018

Achilles tendon structure in distance runners does not change following a competitive season

Achilles tendon structure differs between trained distance runners and healthy controls, but the progression of tendon remodeling over the course of a competitive season is poorly understood. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to quantify Achilles tendon structure at the beginning and completion of a cross country season. We hypothesized that athletes who did not develop tendinopathy would not present with changes in tendon structure. Ultrasound assessments of the right Achilles tendon mid-substance were performed to quantify tendon organization, thickness, and echogenicity. Subjective structural measures and reported outcomes were also collected to determine if tendinopathy was present in any of the subjects. None of the subjects developed symptomatic tendinopathy over the course of the competitive season, but one runner did show signs of mild neovascularization. Tendon organization and echogenicity did not change over the course of the season. Tendon thickness increased by 7% (P < 0.001) but the effect size was small (d = 0.36). Runners who do not develop symptomatic tendinopathy have habituated tendon structure that may serve as a protective mechanism against the rigors of distance running. Monitoring tendon structure may serve as a means of detecting signs of structural indicators of tendinopathy prior to the presentation of symptoms.

bioengineering↗

bioRxiv2018

Measuring Clinically Relevant Knee Motions With A Self-Calibrated Wearable Sensor

Low-cost sensors provide a unique opportunity to continuously monitor patient progress during rehabilitation; however, these sensors have yet to demonstrate the fidelity and lack the calibration paradigms necessary to be viable tools for clinical research. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to validate a low-cost wearable sensor that accurately measured peak knee extension during clinical exercises and needed no additional equipment for calibration. Knee flexion was quantified using a 9-axis motion sensor and directly compared to motion capture data. Peak extension values during seated knee extensions were accurate within 5 degrees across all subjects (RMS error: 2.6 degrees, P = 0.29) but less accurate during sit-to-stand exercises (RMS error: 16.6 degrees, P = 0.48). Knee flexion during gait strongly correlated (0.84 [≤] rxy [≤] 0.99) with motion capture measurements but demonstrated average errors of 10 degrees. This study demonstrated a low-cost sensor that satisfied our criteria: a simple calibration procedure resulting in accurate measures of joint function during clinical exercises, making it a feasible tool for continuous patient monitoring to guide regenerative rehabilitation.

bioengineering↗

bioRxiv2018

Achilles Tendon Structure Differs Between Runners And Non-Runners Despite No Clinical Signs Or Symptoms Of Mid-Substance Tendinopathy

Achilles tendinopathy affects many running athletes and often leads to chronic pain and functional deficits. While changes in tendon structure have been linked with tendinopathy, the effects of distance running on tendon structure is not well understood. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to characterize structural differences in the Achilles tendons in healthy young adults and competitive distance runners using quantitative ultrasound analyses. We hypothesized that competitive distance runners with no clinical signs or symptoms of tendinopathy would have quantitative signs of tendon damage, characterized by decreased collagen alignment and echogenicity, in addition to previous reports of thicker tendons. Longitudinal ultrasound images of the right Achilles tendon mid-substance were acquired in competitive distance runners and recreationally-active adults. Collagen organization, mean echogenicity, and tendon thickness were quantified using image processing techniques. Clinical assessments confirmed that runners had no signs or symptoms of tendinopathy and controls were only included if they had no history of Achilles tendon pain or injuries. Runner tendons were 40% less organized, 48% thicker, and 41% less echogenic compared to the control tendons (p < 0.001). Young adults engaged in competitive distance-running have structurally different tendons than recreationally-active young adults. While these structural differences have been associated with tendon damage, the lack of clinical symptoms of tendinopathy may suggest that these detected differences may either be precursors of tendinopathy development or protective adaptations to cyclic tendon loading experienced during running.

bioengineering↗

bioRxiv2018

The Impact Of Thigh And Shank Marker Quantity On Lower Extremity Kinematics Using A Constrained Model

Musculoskeletal models are commonly used to quantify joint motions and loads during human motion. Constraining joint kinematics simplifies these models but the implications of the number of markers used during data acquisition remains unclear. The purpose of this study was to establish the effects of marker placement and quantity on kinematic fidelity when using a constrained-kinematic model. We hypothesized that a constrained-kinematic model would faithfully reproduce lower extremity kinematics regardless of the number of tracking markers removed from the thigh and shank. Healthy-young adults (N = 10) walked on a treadmill at slow, moderate, and fast speeds while skin-mounted markers were tracked using motion capture. Lower extremity kinematics were calculated for 256 combinations of leg and shank markers to establish the implications of marker placement and quantity on joint kinematics. Sagittal joint and hip coronal kinematics errors were smaller than documented errors caused by soft-tissue artifact, which tends to be approximately 5 degrees, when excluding thigh and shank markers. Joint angle and center kinematic errors negatively correlated with the number of markers included in the analyses (R2 > 0.97) and typically showed the greatest error reductions when two markers were included. Further, we demonstrated that a simplified marker set that included markers on the pelvis, lateral knee condyle, lateral malleolus, and shoes produced kinematics that strongly agreed with the traditional marker set. In conclusion, constrained-kinematic models are resilient to marker placement and quantity, which has implications on study design and post-processing workflows.\n\nEthics Approval and Consent to Participate this study was approved by the Institutional Review Board at the University of Pennsylvania (#824466). Subjects provided written-informed consent\n\nConsent to Publish this submission does not contain any individual data\n\nAvailability of Data and Materials the datasets analyzed in this study are available from the corresponding author on reasonable request.\n\nCompeting Interests one author (JB) is an associate editor for BMC Musculoskeletal Disorders. None of the other authors have any competing interests.\n\nFunding no funding has been provided for this research\n\nAuthors ContributionsAS, TH, and JB designed the experiment; AS and TH collected the data; AS and JB analyzed and interpreted the data; AS and JB drafted the manuscript; AS, TH, and JB revised the intellectual content of the manuscript; AS, TH, and JB approved the final version of the manuscript; and AS, TH, and JB agreed to be accountable for all aspects of the study.

bioengineering↗