ArticleBio-medical materials and engineering2021
In vivo stiffness assessment of patellar and quadriceps tendons by strain ultrasound elastography.
Article in Bio-medical materials and engineering, 2021. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 5 papers.
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Who cites it
5 citing papers in PubMed.
- Reliability of quadriceps and hamstring muscle stiffness measured by ultrasound shear wave elastography in patients with knee osteoarthritis.BMC musculoskeletal disorders · 2026Article
- Associations between muscle stiffness, muscle co-activation, and balance in older individuals with knee osteoarthritis: a cross-sectional study.European journal of medical research · 2025Article
- Decreased quadriceps muscle stiffness on ultrasound elastography is associated with sarcopenia in end-stage kidney disease.Frontiers in nephrology · 2025Article
- Article
- Influence of the Amount of Change in Quadriceps Tendon Young's Modulus on Amount of Change in Walking Speed before and after Total Knee Arthroplasty.Medicina (Kaunas, Lithuania) · 2021Article
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Authors and funding
5 authors.
Funding
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Abstract
backgroundThe patellar and quadriceps tendons are responsible for the extension mechanism of the knee joint and frequently become inflamed during sports. Diagnosis and determination of when an athlete can return to sports following these injuries are usually performed by assessing morphological features and functional outcomes. Nevertheless, mechanical properties are not being assessed.
objectiveTo describe the stiffness characteristics of these two tendons over the range of knee flexion and to test the feasibility of using strain ultrasound elastography (SE).
methodsSE with an acoustic coupler as the reference was performed for nine healthy males. Relative stiffness measurements were obtained using the strain ratio (SR = target tissue strain/reference strain) by placing the knee in five different flexion angles. Lower SR indicates higher relative stiffness.
resultsThis study showed reliable measurement with good intra- and inter-rater agreement for SR at 30°. SR of the quadriceps tendon decreases as knee flexion increases, indicating increased relative stiffness. In the patellar tendon, no significant difference was observed between 30° and 60°. Beyond 60°, relative stiffness increased constantly.
conclusionsSE is a reproducible and feasible tool to monitor relative stiffness of the patellar and quadriceps tendons in routine clinical settings.
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