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Background. Patients with diabetes have 44% greater risk of tendon rupture requiring hospitalisation. Despite this, in vivo research of the associations of diabetes and other cardiovascular disease risk factors on structural and mechanical properties of the Achilles tendon are sparsely studied. Methods. Inactive individuals with type 2 diabetes (n=33) underwent ultrasound and shear wave elastography imaging of their Achilles tendons bilaterally to measure thickness and shear wave velocity (SWV), an index of tendon elastic modulus. In a separate session, participants underwent assessment of body composition, cardiorespiratory fitness and blood biomarkers. Seven inactive individuals without type 2 diabetes were recruited for comparison of tendon structural and mechanical properties. Results. In participants with diabetes, free tendon SWV displayed large negative correlations with hip circumference (r=-0.67, P <0.001), waist circumference (r=-0.59, P <0.001) and body mass index (r=-0.52, P <0001), and a moderate positive correlation with VO2peak (r=0.34, P =0.006). SWV was lower in participants with diabetes taking statins compared to not taking statins (Free tendon: median difference 8%, P=0.004); insertion: 11%, P =0.001). Compared to the control group, the diabetes group had thicker Achilles free tendon (median difference 15%, P<0.001) and Achilles insertion (17%, P=0.006), but no differences in SWV (P=0.490 or 0.577 respectively). Conclusions. Achilles tendons from individuals with type 2 diabetes were thicker compared to inactive individuals without diabetes. Adiposity, statin use and low cardiorespiratory fitness were associated with inferior Achilles tendon mechanical properties in people with diabetes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To compare tendon elastic and structural properties of healthy individuals with those with Achilles or patellar tendinopathy. Sixty‐seven participants (22 Achilles tendinopathy, 17 patellar tendinopathy, and 28 healthy controls) were recruited between March 2015 and March 2016. Shear wave velocity (SWV), an index of tissue elastic modulus, and tendon thickness were measured bilaterally at mid‐tendon and insertional regions of Achilles and patellar tendons by an examiner blinded to group. Analysis of covariance, adjusted for age, body mass index, and sex was used to compare differences in tendon thickness and SWV between the two tendinopathy groups (relative to controls) and regions. Tendon thickness was included as a covariate for analysis of SWV. Compared to controls, participants with Achilles tendinopathy had lower SWV at the distal insertion (Mean difference MD; 95% CI: −1.56; −2.49 to −0.62 m/s; P < .001) and greater thickness at the mid‐tendon (MD 0.19; 0.05‐0.33 cm; P = .007). Compared to controls, participants with patellar tendinopathy had higher SWV at both regions (MD 1.25; 0.40‐2.10 m/s; P = .005) and greater thickness proximally (MD 0.17; 0.06‐0.29 cm; P = .003). Compared to controls, participants with Achilles and patellar tendinopathy displayed lower Achilles tendon elastic modulus and higher patellar tendon elastic modulus, respectively. More research is needed to explore whether maturation, aging, or chronic load underlie these findings and whether current management programs for Achilles and patellar tendinopathy need to be tailored to the tendon. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]