COMPARATIVE STUDY OF PAIN AND PHYSICAL FUNCTION AMONG PROFESSIONAL VOLEYBOL ATHLETES WITH PATELAR TENDINOPATHY

Abstract

Background: patellar tendinopathy is one of the most prevalent pathology in volleyball athletes causing pain and a decrease in physical function and vertical jump. Aim: to compare the patellar tendon changes and pain intensity,physical function, and vertical jump in professional volleyball athletes. Material and method: a descriptive, com-parative and correlational study was carried out in male prefessional volleyball athletes. The assessment included the status of the tendon using ultrasonography, pain intensity, physical function and vertical jump according to the Bosco Ergo Jump test. Results: statistically significant differences were found in the cross-sectional area of the ten-don (p = 0.011), without differences in pain intensity, physical function or vertical jump between patients with and without hypoechoic areas. On the other hand, statistically significant differences were found in the cross-sectional area of the tendon (p < 0.001), pain intensity (p = 0.004), VISA-P-SP scale (p = 0.003) and vertical jump in SJ (p = 0.039) and slCMJleft (p = 0.016), between patients with and without neovascularization. Conclusions: professional volleyball athletes with neovascularization in the patellar tendon presented higher pain intensity and a decrease in physical function and vertical jump than athletes without degenerative changes.