Tendons are the unsung heroes of our movement system.

While we often perceive tendons as a simple link between muscle and bone, their complexity goes far beyond this basic function.

What's especially important about tendons is their crucial role in generating elastic energy. When you run or jump, tendons store energy as they stretch and release it, like snapping a rubber band.

Utilizing stored energy helps us move more efficiently (it saves us energy) and is essential for explosive movements.

Although, just like our muscles, tendons aren't factory-built thick cables ready to handle massive loads.  They must be conditioned to adapt to the specific stresses we place on them. 

For decades, any tendon pain was usually labeled tendonitis, the "-itis" indicating inflammation. But more recent research has shown that most often these pain issues aren't truly inflammatory. 

Instead, they're degenerative, marked by changes in tendon structure and quality rather than true inflammation. 

Instead, we now use the term "tendinopathy" to describe the chronic degeneration in the tendon fibers, often due to overuse, improper loading, or a lack of conditioning, that leads to pain and stiffness.

And this distinction is more than semantics! It changes the approach to treatment. 

If tendons were simply inflamed, then rest, ice, and a few ibuprofen would be a much more effective fix. Instead, the underlying problem deals with the structural integrity of the tendon tissue, requiring a different method for rehabilitation.

To effectively manage tendon pain, regular, progressive loading is needed to develop its resilience and function to handle the demands. 

Ultimately, tendon problems typically need a training approach—not rest.

We've only scratched the surface of my ode to tendons.  

So, over the next few weeks, The Movement will focus on taking better care of our built-in springs.