Introduction. Vertical jump is the main movement in volleyball, and the main etiological factor of patellar tendinopathy. The eccentric exercise has been proved as the most effective intervention in improving this factor. Aim. Annalise the effectiveness of the load control during the eccentric exercise to increase the cross-sectional area as well as the increase of the pain threshold of the patellar tendon, and the gain of the quadriceps maximum strength, in volleyball older players. Study design. Randomized clinical study, simple blind, multicentric and with a follow-up period. Methods. 40 volleyball players will be recruited, who will be randomized to the two groups: experimental (control of the load based on the RM during the eccentric exercise of quadriceps) and control (without load control). There will be an intervention of 4 weeks with 2 weekly seasons of 10 minutes each. The dependent variables will be: cross-sectional area (ultrasound evaluation), pain threshold in the patellar tendon (analog or digital algometer) and the maximum strength of the quadriceps (linear encoder or estimating the RM). In case of normality of the distribution of the sample, parametric tests will be used: student t-test of related samples (difference between evaluations in each rump) and repeated measures ANOVA (intra- and intergroup effect). Expected results. To observe an increase in the cross-sectional area, pain-threshold of patellar tendon and quadriceps maximum strength.
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Change from baseline cross-sectional area of the patellar tendon after treatment and at month
Timeframe: Screening visit, within the first seven days after treatment and after one month follow-up visit