Mean UTC echo-types of the participants Achilles tendon mid-portion and the AoMD at baseline, and during follow-up at 26 weeks
| Echo-type | Mid-portion Total group (n=40) Mean±SD (min-max) | AoMD Total group (n=40) Mean±SD (min-max) | ||
| Baseline | Follow-up | Baseline | Follow-up | |
| I (%) | 48.3±11.9 (27.3–75.2) | 51.4±11.3 (28.8–75.6) | 37.1±11.9 (14.7–64.8) | 40.7±11.8 (17.0–65.1) |
| II (%) | 19.4±4.6 (10.5–32.9) | 21,0±4.5 (10.5–32.1) | 22.2±7.4 (12.2–42.9) | 22.6±7.1 (9.8–39.9) |
| III (%) | 19.1±8.7 (2.6–35.5) | 16.7±8.7 (1.9–37.8) | 26.6±11.9 (1.5–49.7) | 23.7±11.5 (2.8–49.5) |
| IV (%) | 13.1±6.6 (1.9–29.2) | 10.8±5.3 (1.4–25.6) | 13.8±6.7 (0.4–24.3) | 12.4±5.9 (0.8–27.3) |
| Total | 100% | 100% | 100% | 100% |
| I+II (%) | 67.8±14.4 (40.8–95.3) | 72.4±13.2 (42.5–96.6) | 59.2±17.0 (30.0–98.1) | 63.3±16.4 (27.4–96.5) |
| III+IV (%) | 32.2±14.4 (4.7–59.3) | 27.6±13.2 (3.3–57.5) | 40.4±17.5 (1.9–70.0) | 36.2±16.4 (3.6–72.5) |
| Total | 100% | 100% | 100% | 100% |
Echo-types I, II, III and IV are expressed as a percentage of the analysed Achilles tendon volume. Combined, the echo-types I+II represent aligned fibrillar structure, and the echo-types III+IV disorganised tendon structure.
AoMD, area of maximum degeneration (one slide in the Achilles tendon mid-portion with the lowest representation of echo-type I); max, maximum; min, minimum; n, number; SD, standard deviation; UTC, ultrasound tissue characterisation.