Tendinopathy

The term tendinopathy is composed of the Greek words tendon (meaning tendon) and –pathy (indicating disease, condition, or disorder). Loosely translated, a tendinopathy is therefore a tendon disorder. There are many different tendon disorders, but they all fall under the concept of tendinopathy.

The main tendon disorders are:

• Tendinitis (-itis stands for inflammation of the tendon).
• Tendinosis (-osis stands for reduced quality of the tendon).
• Tendon rupture (-rupture stands for partial tear or complete tear of the tendon).

Where can a tendinopathy occur?

Tendons are found throughout the body and form the connection between muscles and bones. In principle, a tendinopathy can occur in any tendon. Nevertheless, there are a number of locations that are clearly more often involved in tendon disorders. Think in particular of:

• Shoulders – A good example is tendon disorders of the rotator cuff muscle group (shoulder stabilizers).
• Elbows – In the region around the elbow, a tennis elbow and a golfer's elbow are common tendon disorders.
• Knees – A jumper's knee and a runner's knee are common tendon disorders of the knee.
• Lower leg – The best known in this region is an injury to the Achilles tendon.

How does a tendinopathy develop?

In general, a tendinopathy is directly related to physical loading. Especially in the case of tendinitis or rupture, there is almost always overloading (too much load) or underloading (too little load) of the tendon. Long-term underloading leads to weakening of the tendon and makes it more vulnerable to injuries.

There are also several risk factors for the development of tendon disorders. We distinguish intrinsic factors (factors specific to the person) and extrinsic factors (environmental factors). 

Examples of intrinsic risk factors are: age, sex, overweight, and abnormalities in foot alignment. 

Environmental factors that can influence tendon disorders include weather conditions, the type of surface, type of footwear, and the degree of training progression.

How is a tendinopathy treated?

In principle, for all tendon disorders, adjusting activities and strengthening the tendon are the most important parts of treatment. To reduce the risk of a tendinopathy, it is very valuable to address the risk factors mentioned.

Frequently used treatment methods for a tendinopathy include shockwave therapy, percutaneous electrolysis, and taping. In all these forms of treatment, pain reduction is the first treatment goal. This is followed by exercise therapy to strengthen the muscles and tendons again.

Contact a physiotherapist to help you get rid of your tendon symptoms.