This investigation of elite male collegiate basketball players aims to determine 1) the change in 3D dynamic functional variables across a single season and 2) correlate cross-season changes in functional variables with changes in clinical and quantitative ultrasound measures. Eleven male college basketball players (mean age 19, range 18–21 years) from a single team underwent baseline patellar tendon shear wave (SW) elastography and dynamic function at the start of the season (Visit1) and at a late-season time point (Visit2). Players reported their VISA-P scores every two weeks across their 24-week season. Each athlete performed a box-ground-box jump five times while 3D lower extremity kinematic and kinetic variables were collected. Functional measures included for landing (LAND) and take-off (TOFF) phases: knee valgus angle, valgus torque, and peak limb force. Knee valgus angular impulse and ground contact time were also measured. Paired t-tests and Pearson correlation coefficients (r) compared Visit1 and Visit2 variables and assessed the strength of linear dependency, respectively. The mean change in VISA-P score was 15.18 (+/-8.55). No functional variables were different across the season. Clinical, quantitative ultrasound and functional variables were moderately correlated with take-off valgus moment, landing force, take-off force and contact time. Other correlations were low (< 0.4). Our analyses have shown moderate correlations between important clinical, quantitative imaging and function measurements. These correlations reflect the changes that occur between relevant time points and which relate internal structure and external function.

This study of collegiate basketball players evaluated change over time (COT) in ultrasound shear wave (SW) elastography metrics across the basketball season, and correlated to morphologic changes on conventional ultrasound imaging, and VISA-P scores. In eleven male collegiate basketball players (mean age 19, age range 18–21), patella tendon (PT) ultrasound and SW elastography of both knees were performed at pre-season and post-season time points, and players reported their VISA-P scores throughout the season. Patella tendinopathy grade and SW metrics were correlated to VISA-P scores using Spearman correlation coefficients. Paired t-test was used to assess differences in mean SW metrics at pre-and post-season timepoints, accounting for leg dominance. 6 of 11 players (54.5%) had baseline patella tendinopathy on ultrasound progressing in 4 players. The mean change in VISA-P score was 15.18 (+/−8.55). No significant correlation was seen between ultrasound grades of tendinopathy and VISA-P. Pre-season SW velocities did not significantly correlate with baseline VISA-P scores. Post-season SW values and SW COT demonstrated strong correlation with change in VISA-P score in dominant and non-dominant knees. Although not statistically significant, there was a trend towards higher SW velocity for tendinopathy in both dominant and non-dominant knees at both study visits. SW metrics of the PT correlated to change in VISA-P scores in the dominant and non-dominant knees, whereas conventional ultrasound grades of patella tendinopathy did not. There was a trend towards higher SW velocities in patella tendinopathy which may indicate detection of change in intrinsic tissue stiffness.