Effects of tendon viscoelasticity in Achilles tendinosis on explosive performance and clinical severity in athletes

The aim was to compare viscoelastic properties of Achilles tendons between legs in elite athletes with unilateral tendinosis, and to investigate relationships between the properties and explosive performance and clinical severity. Seventeen male athletes (mean ± standard deviation age, 27.3 ± 2.0 years) who had unilateral, chronic middle‐portion tendinopathy of the Achilles tendon were assessed by the Victorian Institute of Sport Assessment questionnaire, measurements of tendon viscoelastic properties, voluntary electromechanical delay (EMD), normalized rate of force development (RFD), and one‐leg hopping distance. Compared with the non‐injured leg, the tendinopathic leg showed reduced tendon stiffness (−19.2%. P