Prevalence of Achillis Tendinopathy and its Severity among Amateur Swimmers: A Cross Sectional Study
Abstract
Achilles’ tendinopathy (AT) is a common overuse injury characterized by pain, stiffness, and reduced ankle function, frequently observed in sports involving repetitive plantarflexion and dorsiflexion, including swimming. Although swimming is considered a low-impact activity, the repetitive kicking motions—especially in strokes such as freestyle, breaststroke, butterfly, and backstroke—can increase the mechanical load on the Achilles tendon, predisposing swimmers to tendinopathy. Limited literature exists on the prevalence of AT among amateur swimmers. Therefore, the present cross-sectional study aimed to determine the prevalence and severity of Achilles tendinopathy among amateur swimmers using the Royal London Test and the VISA-A questionnaire. A total of 102 swimmers aged 16–50 years were recruited using simple random sampling from a sports academy. Participants meeting inclusion criteria underwent Achilles’ tendon assessment with the Royal London Test; those testing positives completed the VISA-A questionnaire to determine severity. Data were analysed using Microsoft Excel. The study sample consisted of 51 males and 51 females, with a mean age of 27.63 ± 8.53 years. Most swimmers had been training for more than 5 years (40.20%). The findings highlight the distribution of AT within the sample and provide insight into symptom severity using VISA-A scores, emphasizing the importance of early screening and preventive strategies for amateur swimmers. Overall, this study underscores the need to recognize Achilles’ tendinopathy as a potential problem in swimmers and encourages further research to enhance injury prevention and management.
How to Cite This Article
Shrutika Sharad Khairnar, Dr. Chaitali Neve, Dr. Jayvant Nagulkar (2025). Prevalence of Achillis Tendinopathy and its Severity among Amateur Swimmers: A Cross Sectional Study . International Journal of Multidisciplinary Research and Growth Evaluation (IJMRGE), 6(6), 1330-1340.