Observational Study
Copyright ©The Author(s) 2024. Published by Baishideng Publishing Group Inc. All rights reserved.
World J Clin Cases. Sep 16, 2024; 12(26): 5922-5929
Published online Sep 16, 2024. doi: 10.12998/wjcc.v12.i26.5922
Application of real-time shear wave elastography to Achilles tendon hardness evaluation in older adults
Xuan He, Xin Wei, Jia Hou, Wei Tan, Ping Luo
Xuan He, Xin Wei, Jia Hou, Wei Tan, Ping Luo, Department of Functional Examination, Sichuan Province Orthopedic Hospital, Chengdu 610041, Sichuan Province, China
Author contributions: He X was the guarantor and designed the study; He X, Wei X, Hou J participated in the acquisition, analysis, and interpretation of the data, and drafted the initial manuscript; He X, Wei X, Hou J, Tan W, Luo P revised the article critically for important intellectual content.
Supported by Sichuan Orthopaedic Hospital Research Project, No. 2019MS02.
Institutional review board statement: The study was reviewed and approved by the Science and Research Office of Sichuan Province Orthopedic Hospital.
Informed consent statement: All study participants, or their legal guardian, provided informed written consent prior to study enrollment.
Conflict-of-interest statement: There are no conflicts of interest to report.
Data sharing statement: No additional data are available.
STROBE statement: The authors have read the STROBE Statement—checklist of items, and the manuscript was prepared and revised according to the STROBE Statement—checklist of items.
Open-Access: This article is an open-access article that was selected by an in-house editor and fully peer-reviewed by external reviewers. It is distributed in accordance with the Creative Commons Attribution NonCommercial (CC BY-NC 4.0) license, which permits others to distribute, remix, adapt, build upon this work non-commercially, and license their derivative works on different terms, provided the original work is properly cited and the use is non-commercial. See: https://creativecommons.org/Licenses/by-nc/4.0/
Corresponding author: Jia Hou, BM BCh, Department of Functional Examination, Sichuan Province Orthopedic Hospital, No. 132 Section 1 West of 1st Ring Road, Wuhou District, Chengdu 610041, Sichuan Province, China. 19908051666@163.com
Received: May 7, 2024
Revised: June 17, 2024
Accepted: June 27, 2024
Published online: September 16, 2024
Processing time: 76 Days and 18.5 Hours
Abstract
BACKGROUND

Real-time shear wave elastography (SWE) is a non-invasive imaging technique used to measure tissue stiffness by generating and tracking shear waves in real time. This advanced ultrasound-based method provides quantitative information regarding tissue elasticity, offering valuable insights into the mechanical properties of biological tissues. However, the application of real-time SWE in the musculoskeletal system and sports medicine has not been extensively studied.

AIM

To explore the practical value of real-time SWE for assessing Achilles tendon hardness in older adults.

METHODS

A total of 60 participants were enrolled in the present study, and differences in the elastic moduli of the bilateral Achilles tendons were compared among the following categories: (1) Age: 55-60, 60-65, and 65-70-years-old; (2) Sex: Male and female; (3) Laterality: Left and right sides; (4) Tendon state: Relaxed and tense state; and (5) Tendon segment: Proximal, middle, and distal.

RESULTS

There were no significant differences in the elastic moduli of the bilateral Achilles tendons when comparing by age or sex (P > 0.05). There were, however, significant differences when comparing by tendon side, state, or segment (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSION

Real-time SWE plays a significant role compared to other examination methods in the evaluation of Achilles tendon hardness in older adults.

Keywords: Aged Achilles tendon; Real-time; Shear wave elastography; Young’s modulus; Muscle stiffness

Core Tip: We aimed to quantify Achilles tendon stiffness in older adults using real-time shear wave elastography (SWE) technology, and to analyze the overall change in Achilles tendon elasticity at different ages. Sixty participants were enrolled in the present study, and the differences in the elastic moduli of the bilateral Achilles tendons were compared among participants of different ages and sexes, as well as those with different tendon sides, states, and segments. After the research, we concluded that real-time SWE plays a significant role compared to other examination methods in the evaluation of Achilles tendon hardness in older adults.