Proximal patellar tendon abnormalities on ultrasound can develop in male adolescent basketball players: A longitudinal study.

INTRODUCTION: Adolescent patellar tendinopathy is reported but the pubertal-stage of onset of abnormal tendon structure has not been investigated with grayscale ultrasound. AIMS: To investigate abnormal tendon structure using grayscale ultrasound and its association with pubertal-stage and pain. METHODS: Forty-three male basketball players aged 13.7 years (SD 1.0) had patellar tendon ultrasound scans every 6 months for 2.5 years. Pubertal-stage (peak height velocity) was calculated using the Mirwauld equation. Tendon thickness, hypoechogenicity and pain during single leg decline squat (SLDS) were recorded. Tendons were classified: hypoechoic, normal or immature. RESULTS: Two tendons were hypoechoic at baseline. Six developed hypoechogenicity over 2.5 years (eight tendons [9%], six participants [14%]), all in peri and post-PHV players. Twenty-six tendons (17 participants) were classified as immature during the study. Hypoechoic tendons were thicker (5.3 mm SD 1.2) than normal (3.9 mm SD 0.7) tendons (p < 0.001). There was no difference in the proportion of participants reporting pain during SLDS in the hypoechoic (N = 3) and normal (N = 11) groups (p = 0.33), or in hypoechoic tendon thickness between those reporting pain (6.5 mm, SD 1.7) or not (5.2 mm, SD 0.9, p = 0.17). DISCUSSION: This study using grayscale ultrasound found that basketball players with hypoechogenicity were peri or post-PHV. Abnormal structure was not always associated with pain.

Nearly 40% of adolescent athletes report anterior knee pain regardless of maturation status, age, sex or sport played.

OBJECTIVE: To report point prevalence of anterior knee pain (AKP) in adolescent athletes by (1) maturation status, (2) chronological age, (3) sex, and (4) primary sport. DESIGN: Cross-sectional. METHODS: Male and female participants aged 11-15 years were recruited from specialised sports programs for basketball, volleyball, Australian Rules Football and tennis. Standing height, sitting height, and body mass were measured and used to calculate maturity status. Past injury history, self-reported physical activity, and Victorian Institute of Sport Assessment Questionnaire Patellar Tendon (VISA-P) questionnaires were completed. Anterior knee pain was defined as any pain experienced on the anterior surface of the knee and recorded using a visual analogue scale (VAS). A single leg decline squat (SLDS) was performed for provocation of AKP. RESULTS: Two hundred and seventeen male and female adolescent athletes participated in this study. Twenty participants were excluded from data analysis. Point prevalence of AKP was 39% (N = 76). Average self-reported physical activity/week was 7.9 ± 4.1 h of their specialised sport and 2.0 ± 2.0 h of other physical activity/week. Maturation status, chronological age, sex nor primary sporting program was statistically significant in explaining the presence or absence of AKP. CONCLUSION: Due to the right-skewed maturation sample, the authors cannot state conclusively that maturation status was not associated with AKP. Nearly 40% of this cohort reported AKP during a pain provocation test. The presence of AKP was not explained by maturation status, age, sex or primary sport program. Given the chronic nature of AKP and future morbidity reported, this high prevalence provides rationale for intervention or prevention studies targeting younger athletes.