ORIGINAL ARTICLE

Anthropometric risk factors for patellar tendon injury among volleyball players

P Malliaras¹, J L Cook², P M Kent³

¹ Brunel University, West London, UK
² La Trobe University, Victoria, Australia
³ Monash University, Cabrini Institute, Melbourne, Australia

Correspondence to:
Peter Malliaras
La Trobe University, Melbourne, Victoria 3086, Australia; peter.malliaras@brunel.ac.uk

Accepted 9 August 2006

ABSTRACT

Objective: Abnormal imaging in the patellar tendon reveals pathology that is often associated with knee pain. Anthropometric measures of body size and mass, such as height, weight and waist-to-hip ratio (WHR), have been individually associated with abnormal imaging. The aim of this study was to investigate the anthropometric factors that have the strongest relationship with abnormal imaging in volleyball players.

Methods: Height, weight, body mass index (BMI), waist girth, hip girth and WHR were measured in a cohort of 113 competitive volleyball players (73 men, 40 women). The univariate (ANOVA) and multivariable (discriminant function analysis) association between abnormal imaging and these anthropometric factors were investigated.

Results: No significant association was found in the female volleyball players. A significant univariate association was observed between abnormal imaging and heavier weight, greater BMI, larger waist and hip girth and larger WHR in the male volleyball players. Waist girth was the only factor that retained this association in a multivariable model (p<0.05).

Conclusions: Men with a waist girth greater than 83 cm seem to be at greater risk of developing patellar tendon pathology. There may be both mechanical and biochemical reasons for this increased risk.

Abbreviations: BMI, body mass index; ROC, receiver operator characteristic; WHR, waist-to-hip ratio

The first 150 words of the full text of this article appear below.

Patellar tendon pathology detected by abnormal imaging¹ may be present in 41% of competitive volleyball players.^2,3 In more than two thirds of these players abnormal imaging was associated with pain.^2,3 Players with patellar tendon pain and abnormal imaging may require several months away from sport or they may never return to their pre-injury level of competition.^4,5 However, few studies have investigated the treatment of this injury^6,7 and clinicians have limited management strategies.⁸ Identification of risk factors for patellar tendon pathology may lead to preventive management or the early identification of injury.

There are likely to be some anthropometric risk factors for patellar tendon pathology. Anthropometric factors including taller height,⁹ heavier weight¹⁰ and a larger waist-to-hip ratio (WHR)¹¹ have been shown in the literature to be associated with abnormal patellar tendon imaging. These factors indicate that larger body size and greater body mass may increase the risk of developing patellar tendon . . . [Full text of this article]

Hakan Alfredson⁴

⁴ Department of Surgical and Perioperative Science, Umea University, Umea, Sweden; hakan.alfredson@idrott.umu.se

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