Background. Achilles tendinopathy (AT) is a major foot and ankle overuse injury which has been reported to be prevalent in running and jumping sporting activities, especially football which has witnessed increased participation in recent times. However, there are no epidemiological data on tendinopathy in footballers in Nigeria. The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of Achilles tendinopathy and associated intrinsic risk factors among Nigerian footballers. Methods. Participants were 151 registered football players recruited from various football clubs in Lagos State, Nigeria. Selected intrinsic factors of age, gender, body mass index (BMI), random blood glucose and bilateral ankle dorsiflexion and plantarflexion were evaluated. AT was determined with the Royal London Hospital Test and ultrasonography. Principal Component Analysis (PCA) was used to determine the association between AT and selected intrinsic risk factors and significance set at p < 0.05. Results. The prevalence of AT was 15.9%. There were significant associations between elevated BMI (p = 0.027), left ankle dorsiflexion (p = 0.035) and right ankle plantarflexion (p = 0.008) with Achilles tendinopathy. No significant association (p > 0.05) was found between Achilles tendinopathy and blood glucose level. Conclusions. Elevated body mass index, reduced ankle dorsiflexion and plantarflexion are risk factors for Achilles tendinopathy.

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