Morphometric profile in foetuses and evolution of Achilles tendon

Abstract

Background: The Achilles tendon (AT) develops from the merge of the tendinous part of the gastrocnemius (GM) and soleus (SM) muscles. The AT is the structural base for the biomechanical work of the ankle joint. Understanding morphometry of the AT is crucial due to the tendon vulnerability to rupture and damage which requires further surgical repair and management. Despite its clinical significance, data concerns measurements of the AT in human fetuses are scare. The aim of our study was to assess the AT, GM and SM morphometry in human fetuses. Materials and methods: Thirty-seven spontaneously-aborted human fetuses (17 male, 20 female) aged 18-38 weeks of gestation were examined. The morphometry of the GM, SM and AT were evaluated. Results: No significant correlation between sex or side and size of the AT in human fetuses was observed. The only significant correlation was between sex and the length of the tendon of the SM, in 3 rd trimester it was longer in male than in female. In 2 nd trimester the SM muscle to tendon ratio was higher in female than in male. Conclusions: There was no significant correlation between sex or side in size of the AT in human fetuses, probably due to scant muscle load during prenatal period.

Morphometric profile of achilles tendon in male - a cadaveric study

“…24 Interestingly, morphometric evaluaion of AT was also found to be conducted in human aborted fetuses in Poland where they found that there were no significant correlation between sex or side and size of AT in human fetuses. 27 In the present study the width at its origin was found to be more than the width at its insertion (Table 2 and Table 4) which was found to be decreasing from its origin to insertion site unlikely to that of the findings explained by other researcher 14 and this variation is explainable as the studies covered different population group.…”

Growth factors in the treatment of Achilles tendon injury

“…In adults, the average size of the AT is 15 cm (range, 11–26 cm), and the mean width is 6.8 cm at its origin, 1.8 cm at the midsection, and 3.4 cm at its insertion to the midpoint of the posterior surface of the calcaneus ( Doral et al, 2010 ). Furthermore, the proportion of gastrocnemius and soleus tendons involved in the composition of the AT slightly varies in different individuals ( Wasniewska et al, 2022 ). At approximately 8–10 cm above the termination, the gastrocnemius and soleus tendons fuse completely ( Ahmed et al, 1998 ).…”