It is challenging to detect the severity of tendon damage, but a University of Nebraska-Lincoln scientist is researching a new way to improve the recovery of an individual with tendon damage.

Greg Bashford is a scientist in the Department of Biological Systems Engineering at UNL. His new study proves that an ultrasound may be a more accurate and inexpensive way to detect damages to the tendons.

A new idea for an ultrasound 

Currently, hospitals are using an expensive magnetic resonance imaging machine to evaluate tendon injury. With Bashford's new study, an ultrasound will be used in place of the expensive magnetic machine. Along with the ultrasound, Bashford created software that is linked to an ultrasound machine that shows a more accurate and detailed image of a tendon.

"I was familiar with creating software, but not for this type of machine," Bashford said. "It took me awhile to figure out how to coordinate an ultrasound machine to new software that would capture a picture of the tendon by bouncing sound off the body."

Bashford said he hopes this new discovery will help with the patients recovery time, making it shorter and more affective. With early detection, a doctor can diagnose a treatment that will improve the patient's tendons before they become severely damaged.

A healthy tendon will have a parallel collection of tissue, while a damaged tendon will have disorganized, thicker tissue. Photo courtesy of orthopod.com

What is tendon injury?

Ultrasound images of a healthy tendon will show a parallel collection of tissue. Images of a damaged tendon will show a collection of thicker tissue that is disorganized.

Here are some symptoms when a tendon is injured.

• Severe pain in joints
• Rapid or immediate bruising or swelling
• Weakness
• Inability to bear weight
• Inability to bend foot or walk normally

Bashford's discovery is more than 80 percent accurate, but said he hopes to improve it to the point where hospitals can use it.

Madonna Hospital approached Bashford with an offer to help create an ultrasound machine and software that would be able to diagnose the severity of tendon damage.

Tendon injuries are most commonly results of the following:

• Overuse
• Running on hard or bumpy surfaces
• Poor stretching habits
• Strong or weak calf muscles
• Flatfeet

Most injuries to the tendon are results of taking part of an activity involving rapid movement. Some examples are playing tennis, racquetball or basketball. Other injuries occur when an individual takes part of a physical activity for the first time after an extended break.

The price of discovery 

Bashford did not work alone on this project though. Nick Thomas, a 2007 biological systems engineering graduate, assisted Bashford in the research. Both Thomas and Bashford sought help from colleagues at the University of California, hoping their discoveries would improve his project.

The Layman Foundation covered the cost for this project with an initial grant of $10,000. The foundation is an internal funding organization within the University that strictly benefits UNL.

Greg Bashford is a scientist in the Department of Biological Systems Engineering at UNL. Photo courtesy of The UNL Research Department.

To test the new machine, Bashford and his colleagues assembled a sample of diverse individuals and examined their tendons. This test would show suggested damage to the tendon of each person. The results helped Bashford analyze the machine and software to determine if his work was a better source.