SOURCES OF ERROR WHEN MEASURING ACHILLES TENDON MECHANICS DURING RUNNING ACTIVITIES

Accurate measurements of tendon mechanics are necessary for biomechanists when trying to identify injury risk factors, optimise athletic performance and develop musculoskeletal models. Measuring Achilles tendon (AT) mechanics dynamically is now possible by combining motion capture and ultrasound (US). The aim of this study was to quantify sources of error when measuring AT length using motion capture and US, and establish their effect on calculated strain values. Errors in AT insertion tracking and data synchronisation caused differences in AT length and moment arm of 5.3 ± 1.1 mm and 11.2 ± 0.9 mm, respectively; this decreased calculated AT peak strain from 11.6 ± 3.5% to 5.4 ± 2.5%. These differences could significantly impact a researcher‘s interpretation of the effects of footwear, technique, and specific kinematics on AT loading