Longitudinal Changes in Achilles Tendon and Medial Gastrocnemius Muscle Architecture During a 156-km Ultradistance Trail Running Event

Sport Injury Clinical Trial

— Trailstiff  

Official title:

Longitudinal Changes in Achilles Tendon and Medial Gastrocnemius Muscle Architecture During a 156-km Ultradistance Trail Running Event

Clinical Trial Details — Status: Completed

Administrative data

• NCT number: NCT06297317
• Other study ID #: Trailstiff
• Status: Completed
• Start date: November 11, 2021
• Est. completion date: February 1, 2024

Study information

• Verified date: February 2024
• Source: University Hospital, Caen
• Contact: n/a
• Is FDA regulated: No
• Study type: Observational

Clinical Trial Summary

This study aimed to assess the longitudinal changes in triceps surae muscle-tendon architecture to an ultra distance trail running. Experienced trail runners (N=55, 78% men, age: 45.2 [13.5] years) participated in a 156-km trail run (6000m climbing) consisting in six 26-km laps. The resting architectural properties of triceps surae muscle-tendon were measured using ultrasound imaging for Achille tendon cross-sectional area (AT CSA), medial gastrocnemius muscle pennation angle, thickness, length and fiber length. Measurements were performed the day before the race (Baseline), at 52-km (T1), at 104-km (T2), at 156-km (T3) and 12 hours after the race (H12).

Recruitment information / eligibility

• Status: Completed
• Enrollment: 55
• Est. completion date: February 1, 2024
• Est. primary completion date: November 13, 2021
• Gender: All
• Age group: 25 Years to 70 Years

Eligibility

Inclusion criteria

• Experienced runners voluntarily participating in the Trail Scientifique de Clécy (156 km/6000 D+)
• Participants who had already completed 2 ultratrail races (+160 km and -160 km), at least one of them in the past 24 months; the participants had to justify their events and rankings
• Participants affiliated with a social security system or those who were a beneficiary of such a system
• Participants who could speak and read the French language
• Participants with the ability to physically participate in the ultraendurance race
• Participants with the ability to provide written consent for participation in the study Exclusion criteria
• Participants with cardiac or extracardiac contraindications to intense physical activity
• Participants who had run a mountain ultramarathon (160 km) after September 2, 2021
• Pregnant or breastfeeding women
• Minor participants
• Participants included in another biomedical research protocol during this study
• Participants with recent muscular and orthopedic injuries, limiting running for <15 days
• Participants with a history of ankle joint surgery (eg, arthrodesis)
• Participants with a history of foot or ankle surgery
• Participants with lower-limb pathology or trauma

Related Conditions & MeSH terms

• Achilles Tendinopathy
• Athletic Injuries
• Leg Injuries
• Lower Limb Injury
• Sport Injury
• Tendinopathy
• Wounds and Injuries

Intervention

Diagnostic Test:
• Ultrasound measurement of triceps surae muscle-tendon architecture
The resting plantar-flexors MTU architecture assessment was performed using a conventional B-mode and extended-field-of-view (EFOV) ultrasound imaging. Achille tendon cross-sectionnal area, Medial gastrocnemius thickness, pennation angle, fascicle length and muscle length were collected on the dominant lower limb.

Locations

Country	Name	City	State
France	CHU Caen Normandie	Caen

Sponsors (1)

Lead Sponsor	Collaborator
University Hospital, Caen

Country where clinical trial is conducted

France, 

References & Publications (1)

Mauvieux B, Hingrand C, Drigny J, Hodzic A, Baron P, Hurdiel R, Jouffroy R, Vauthier JC, Pessiglione M, Wiehler A, Degache F, Pavailler S, Heyman E, Plard M, Noirez P, Dubois B, Esculier JF, Nguyen AP, Van Cant J, Roy Baillargeon O, Pairot de Fontenay B, Delaunay PL, Besnard S. Study of the Kinetics of the Determinants of Performance During a Mountain Ultramarathon: Multidisciplinary Protocol of the First Trail Scientifique de Clecy 2021. JMIR Res Protoc. 2022 Jun 15;11(6):e38027. doi: 10.2196/38027. — View Citation

Outcome

Type	Measure	Description	Time frame	Safety issue
Primary	Achille tendon cross sectional area	Mid-portion Achille tendon cross sectional area was measured (in mm²) using B mode ultrasound imaging	Five time points: (1) at baseline, the day before the 156-km race, (2) during the race, at 52-km, (3) during the race, at 104-km, (4) immediately after the race, at 156-km and (5) at 12-hours after arrival.
Primary	Medial gastrocnemius thickness	Medial gastrocnemius thickness was measured at the inferior third of muscle llength (in mm) using B mode ultrasound imaging	Five time points: (1) at baseline, the day before the 156-km race, (2) during the race, at 52-km, (3) during the race, at 104-km, (4) immediately after the race, at 156-km and (5) at 12-hours after arrival.
Primary	Medial gastrocnemius pennation angle	Medial gastrocnemius pennation angle was measured at the inferior third of muscle llength (in °) using B mode ultrasound imaging	Five time points: (1) at baseline, the day before the 156-km race, (2) during the race, at 52-km, (3) during the race, at 104-km, (4) immediately after the race, at 156-km and (5) at 12-hours after arrival.
Primary	Medial gastrocnemius fascicle length	Medial gastrocnemius fascicle length was calculated under the assumption of linearity as Fascicle Lnegth = Muscle Thickness / sin (Pennation angle) measured at the inferior third of muscle length (calculated in mm) using B mode ultrasound imaging	Five time points: (1) at baseline, the day before the 156-km race, (2) during the race, at 52-km, (3) during the race, at 104-km, (4) immediately after the race, at 156-km and (5) at 12-hours after arrival.
Primary	Medial gastrocnemius muscle length	Medial gastrocnemius muscle length was measured using an extended-field-of-view (EFOV) ultrasound imaging	Five time points: (1) at baseline, the day before the 156-km race, (2) during the race, at 52-km, (3) during the race, at 104-km, (4) immediately after the race, at 156-km and (5) at 12-hours after arrival.
Secondary	Finisher status	Participants were classifioed as "Finishers" or "Did not finish" whether they completed the 156-km race, or not	One time point, after the race
Secondary	Average speed	Average speed was calculated using the time per lap and distance for each lap	Four time point (1) during the race, at 52-km, (2) during the race, at 104-km, (3) during the race, at 156-km and (4) for the whole race.