Global trends in research of achilles tendon injury/rupture: A bibliometric analysis, 2000–2021

Abstract

BackgroundThe Achilles tendon is the strongest and most susceptible tendon in humans. Achilles tendon injuries and ruptures have gradually attracted research attention. However, a bibliometric analysis of global research in this field is lacking. This study involved a bibliometric analysis of the developmental trends and research hotspots in Achilles tendon injuries/ruptures from 2000 to 2021.MethodsArticles published between 2001 and 2021 were retrieved from an extended database of the Science Citation Index using Web of Science. VOSviewer and CiteSpace were used to analyze the relationships between publications, countries, institutions, journals, authors, references, and keywords.ResultsThis study included 3,505 studies of 73 countries, 3,274 institutions, and 12,298 authors and explored the cooperation between them and the relationships between citations. Over the past 22 years, the number of publications has significantly increased. Foot Ankle International has published the most papers on Achilles tendon injuries/ruptures, and British Journal of Sports Medicine is the most famous journal. Re-rupture, exosomes, acute Achilles tendon rupture, and tendon adhesions gradually become the research focus over the past few years.ConclusionAchilles tendon injury and rupture are important research topics. A vast number of newly published papers on this topic have demonstrated that clinicians and researchers are interested in their study. Over time, these recent studies will be widely cited; therefore, this bibliometric analysis should be constantly updated.

An overview of the material science and knowledge of nanomedicine, bioscaffolds, and tissue engineering for tendon restoration

“…When the tendons are exposed to extraordinary trauma, acute Achilles’ tendon injuries are most common in young, highly active people, typically male athletes. Surgical therapy is suggested for individuals who wish to return to physical activity after recuperation, as the risk of re-rupture is lowest with the surgical intervention compared to conservative treatment ( Romeo et al, 1999 ; Banala et al, 2018 ; Wang et al, 2023 ). Microtraumas and the absence of a normal healing response are regarded as the leading causes of Achilles tendinopathies.…”

Human adipose stromal cells differentiate towards a tendon phenotype with extracellular matrix production and adapted visco-elastic properties in a 3D-culture system

“…The tendon is a connective tissue composed of a dense extracellular matrix (ECM) consisting mainly of type I collagen fibrils which are organised hierarchically to resist the tensile forces transmitted from the muscle to the bone and to allow locomotion. The incidence of ruptured tendons, particularly the Achilles tendon, has been rising steadily over the past decades [1,2] to reach the level of 37 per 100,000 population [3]. Compared to other components of the musculoskeletal system, little is known about the mechanisms involved in tendon development.…”