The time-course of acute changes in Achilles tendon morphology following exercise

in comparison to bone and muscle, little is known about the acute effect of strain stimulus on the morphology of human tendon, in vivo. The purpose of the current study was to employ sonographic imaging to investigate the acute change in the diameter of the Achilles tendon in response to a bout of heavy resistive exercise. In contrast to previous research, tendon diameter was markedly reduced immediately after exercise. Although tendon dimensions returned to pre-exercise levels within 24 hours, the primary recovery time appeared to occur between 6 and 12 hours post-exercise. The findings have potential applications for the design of physical activity and rehabilitation programs, however further research is required before exercise targets can be optimized for individual athletes.