Tendon stiffness
DESehnensteifigkeit
Tendon stiffness describes how much force a tendon transmits per unit of stretch (force divided by length change, usually in N/mm). A related property, Young's modulus, adjusts that for the tendon's cross-section and resting length. In a living person, it is measured by combining ultrasound of the tendon during an isometric muscle contraction with a force gauge (dynamometry). A systematic review (Bohm, Mersmann, and Arampatzis, Sports Medicine - Open, 2015) found what builds it best. Heavy loads (around 80 to 90% of your max) held for longer (around 3 seconds per rep), as in heavy-slow or isometric protocols, produce the biggest gains in stiffness, modulus, and cross-section. Aging, disuse, and tendon disease (tendinopathy) reduce stiffness. And a well-trained tendon stores and returns elastic energy more efficiently, which improves running economy and lowers injury risk.
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Sources
- Bohm S, Mersmann F, Arampatzis A. (2015). Human tendon adaptation in response to mechanical loading: a systematic review and meta-analysis of exercise intervention studies on healthy adults. *Sports Medicine - Open*doi:10.1186/s40798-015-0009-9
- Lichtwark GA, Wilson AM. (2005). In vivo mechanical properties of the human Achilles tendon during one-legged hopping. *Journal of Experimental Biology*doi:10.1242/jeb.01950
- Reeves ND, Maganaris CN, Narici MV. (2003). Effect of strength training on human patella tendon mechanical properties of older individuals. *The Journal of Physiology*doi:10.1113/jphysiol.2002.035576