72 | AustrAliAn triAthletetext by zachary turner
photogrAphy by shutterstocK.comO
ur tendons are highly
important structures for
ensuring we can perform
and train optimally. Often
overlooked, tendon injury and overuse
is something that needs consideration
in all areas of training. Tendons are
tough connective tissues that connect
muscle to bone, and given the rigidity of
tendons they are capable of transferring
significant forces from muscle to bone
for movement, as well as resisting and
absorbing such forces. Tendons are able
to store energy to produce explosivecontractions for movements, and use the
forces they absorb to then create energy
for movement.
Previously, and more commonly termed
tendonitis, tendons are prone to injury
resulting from overuse. Recent findings
have found that little or no signs of
inflammation exist with tendon injury,
deeming the term tendonitis somewhat
inaccurate. Tendon overuse is now being
termed tendinopathy, which exists as a
broad term for tendon pathology and
describes injury to tendon/s due to demand
that are beyond its physical capabilities.Now, there are an abundance of
tendons throughout the body, and
theoretically speaking tendinopathy can
exist in any of them. Certain tendons may
be more prone to developing signs of
overuse due to many factors including: the
demands on the tendon and sport just to
name a common few. However, regardless
of which tendon may be effected the
nature and pathology of the injury is
largely the same.
The most important, and probably
the simplest rule with tendinopathy is
that this condition does not existTENDINOPATHY