TY - JOUR T1 - SportsMedUpdate JF - British Journal of Sports Medicine JO - Br J Sports Med SP - 233 LP - 234 VL - 42 IS - 3 AU - Martin P Schwellnus Y1 - 2008/03/01 UR - http://bjsm.bmj.com/content/42/3/233.abstract N2 - Langberg H, Ellingsgaard H, Madsen T, . Scand J Med Sci Sports 2007;17:61–6.Background:Eccentric resistance training can reduce pain in athletes with chronic Achilles tendinosis, but the precise mechanism for this rehabilitation programme is not understood.Research question/s:Does a 12-week eccentric training programme alter turnover of peritendinous connective tissue in chronic Achilles tendinosis?Methodology:Subjects: 12 elite male soccer players (6 with unilateral Achilles tendinosis (AT group), 6 healthy controls (CON group)).Experimental procedure: All the subjects underwent a 12 week heavy-resistance eccentric training program, in addition to their regular training and soccer activity. Using the microdialysis technique the tissue concentration of indicators of collagen turnover was measured before and after the 12 week training period. Clinical outcome was measured using the pain during standardised loading (VAS)Measure of outcome: Collagen synthesis (carboxyterminal propeptide of type I collagen (PICP) concentration), collagen degradation (carboxyterminal telopeptide region of type I collagen (ICTP) concentration), pain (visual analogue scale; VAS).Main finding/s:Pain: Patients in the AT group had a decrease in pain (mean (SD) VAS before training 44 (9), VAS after training 13 (9); p<0.05), and all subjects were back playing soccer after the eccentric training regimen. Figure 1 Conclusion/s:A 12-week eccentric training programme for chronic Achilles tendinosis results in increased collagen synthesis rate, but does not alter … ER -