Prevalence of achilles tendinopathy and its association with physical characteristics in recreational sport participants in Lagos, Nigeria

Abstract

Background: Achilles tendinopathy (AT) is the most frequently reported injury related to the ankle and foot in different sports activities. Much attention has been paid to elite athletes in competitive sports, but there is paucity of data on its prevalence in recreational sports. Aims: This study investigated the prevalence of AT and its association with selected physical characteristics in a population of recreational sports participants in Lagos, Nigeria. Settings and Design: Cross-sectional analytical study. Materials and Methods: This study involved 302 recreational sports participants in various sports centers in Lagos State. The Royal London test was used to assess for the presence of AT, while the Victorian Institute of Sports Assessment - Achilles questionnaire was used to evaluate the severity of AT among the participants. Statistical Analysis: Data collected were summarized using descriptive statistics and analyzed using Pearson Chi-square. The level of significance was set at P ≤ 0.05. Results: Our findings show that 21% of the participants had AT. Gender, height, and weight showed no significant association with AT; however, the age of the participants showed a significant association with AT. Conclusion: AT is common among recreational sports individuals in Lagos, Nigeria, age being a contributing factor while other physical characteristics had no impact.

Keywords

• Achilles tendinopathy
• recreational sports
• tendinopathy