Is genu varum a risk factor for the prevalence and severity of achilles tendinopathy? A cross-sectional study of Nigerian elite track and field athletes.

BACKGROUND: Achilles tendinopathy (AT) is one of the most frequently reported ankle and foot overuse injuries. Prior studies have reported altered biomechanical variables of the lower limb as risk factors for the prevalence and severity of AT in athletes, especially in Caucasians, but there are few reports on African elite athletes. Because it is established that anthropometric and biomechanical values vary with racial disposition, this study was designed to investigate the association between selected physical and biomechanical variables of the lower limb and the prevalence and severity of AT in Nigerian elite track and field athletes.

SUBJECTS AND METHODS: Eighty-five elite Nigerian track and field athletes participated in this cross-sectional study. Biomechanical variables of Q-angle, tibial torsion, limb-length discrepancy (LLD) and foot posture index (FPI) were evaluated using standard procedures. The presence of AT was confirmed with ultrasonography and clinical assessments, whereas the severity was evaluated with VISA-A questionnaire. Inferential statistics of Chi-square was used to determine the association between prevalence of AT and the biomechanical variables.

RESULTS: The prevalence of AT was 15.3%, made up of participants who tested positive to both clinical test and ultrasound scan. There was no significant association between AT and LLD, tibial torsion and FPI. Most of the participants with AT had genu varum, which was significantly associated with both the prevalence and severity of AT.

CONCLUSION: It was concluded that genu varum had a significant association with both the prevalence and severity of AT in elite Nigerian track and field athletes.