Tendon pain (tendonitis) is a very common condition of both younger people who exercise on a regular basis and older people who live a more sedentary life.\u00a0 Essentially tendonitis is caused by minor rips, tears and disorganisation of the tendonous tissue.\u00a0 These injuries can occur as the result of sudden trauma (eg lifting a heavier weight than normal)\u00a0or over a long period of time due to repetitive movements.<\/p>\n
Typical areas of tendonitis includes the achilles\/lower calf, the elbow, knee and shoulder.<\/p>\n
Tendonitis is usually a dull ache that is made worse on movement.\u00a0 Often there is a cracking or grating sound.<\/p>\n
What are the tendons?\u00a0 Well tendons are the anchors at the end of muscles that connect them to bones and have high levels of collagen to provide strength – unlike muscles which have low levels of collagen, but far more stretch.<\/p>\n
Fixing the Problem<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n One of the most effective ways to treat tendonitis, after initially resting, icing, compressing and elevating (RICE)\u00a0is the use of ECCENTRIC exercises.\u00a0\u00a0Eccentric muscle action is an overall lengthening<\/strong> of a muscle as it develops tension – typically putting down a load with control.<\/strong><\/p>\n Eccentric exercises work on the tendonous part of the muscle-tendon unit (concentric exercises work on the muscular part).\u00a0 Muscles are\u00a0divided into two sections, 1. the contractile (red) muscle belly and 2. the (white) tendon and non-contractile components.<\/p>\n Active muscle lengthening (eccentric contraction) stresses and thereby strengthens the (white) tendon tissue more.<\/p>\n