Effects of intensified training on muscular strength of the ankle and cross-section surface area of Achilles tendon in soldiers / 解放军医学杂志

ABSTRACT

Objective The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effects of intensified training on muscular strength of soldiers' ankles and Achilles tendon, and to search for effective training methods through the kinetic study of the ankle joint and cross-sectional area (CSA) measurements of the Achilles tendon. Methods 30 recruits and 30 soldiers enlisted over one year were selected randomly. The recruits underwent an intensified training for eight weeks, and the enlisted soldiers underwent only routine training. The muscular strength of the ankle was tested by CYBEX-6000 isokinetic test system and the cross-sectional area (CSA) of the Achilles tendon was measured in the recruits and the enlisted soldiers before and after the intensified training. Results No difference of CSA of Achilles tendon was found among the recruits before and after the intensified training and the soldiers enlisted over one year (0.64?0.05cm~2、0.67?0.07cm~2、0.65?0.07cm~2) (P=0.698, F=0.361), while the CSA showed a positive correlation with body weight (r=0.446). The isokinetic test results indicated that the muscular strength of the ankle of the recruits was built up obviously after intensified training (P0.05). Conclusion The effects of 8-week intensified training were almost similar to one-year routine training. Enforced training seemed to be able to improve training outcomes in a shorter time. The results that no change in CSA of the Achilles tendon after intensified training indicated that the improvement in ankle muscular strength might be attributed to the moulding reconstruction of tendon function rather than by the enlargement of the tendon.