Sonographic Screening of Distance Runners for the Development of Future Achilles and Patellar Tendon Pain

The 2 primary aims of this study were to identify ultrasonographic tendon abnormalities in asymptomatic runners and to examine the likelihood of developing pain in runners with ultrasound abnormalities compared with those without abnormalities.

Longitudinal, prospective cohort study.

2019 Salt Lake City Marathon.

Recreational half-marathon and full-marathon runners.

The Achilles and patellar tendons of asymptomatic runners were examined with ultrasound imaging before a running event. Runners were monitored for self-reported outcomes of pain in the examined tendons at 1, 3, 6, and 12 months after the event.

Development of pain based on the presence of asymptomatic tendon abnormalities.

One hundred thirty-eight runners (36.2 ± 12.0 years, 49.3% men, and 31.2% full-marathon runners) were included. Ultrasound abnormalities of the Achilles and patellar tendons were identified in 24.6% and 39.1% of the runners before the race, respectively. Ultrasound abnormalities were significantly associated with approximately a 3-fold increase [hazard ratio (HR) = 2.55, P = 0.004] in the hazard of developing pain in the Achilles tendon and patellar tendon (HR = 1.67, P = 0.042) over the year after the race. Positive and negative predictive values of developing pain over the year were 34.1% and 87.2%, respectively, for abnormal findings in the Achilles tendon, and 22.9% and 85.0%, respectively, for the patellar tendon.

The presence of ultrasonographic abnormalities is associated with increased development of pain in the Achilles and patellar tendons within 1 year of a marathon or half marathon.