The Basic Science of Tendons & Tendinitis

Summary

This video script delves into the anatomy and physiology of tendons, highlighting their role in connecting muscles to bones and their importance in movement. It explains the structure of tendons, their elasticity, and how they can become injured through repetitive stress leading to tendinitis. The script advises on the healing process, emphasizing the importance of proper diagnosis, reduced stress on the affected tendon, and eccentric exercises to promote collagen fiber alignment during healing. It concludes with a reminder of the significance of a well-planned rehab schedule for full recovery.

Takeaways

• 😌 Tendons are connective tissues primarily made up of collagen, similar to ligaments and fascia, and they connect muscle to bone.
• 💪 Tendons are strong, static tissues with elastic properties that function like springs during activities like jumping or running.
• 🔍 A healthy tendon has collagen fibers arranged in a parallel fashion, which contributes to its strength.
• 🤕 Tendon injuries, known as tendinopathies, occur when the rate of degradation exceeds the rate of regeneration due to repetitive strain.
• 🏥 Common areas prone to tendon injuries include joints like the elbow, shoulder, and knee.
• 🔑 Tendonitis is a common term used to describe acute tendon injuries that lead to inflammation.
• 🏋️‍♂️ Initial repair of a tendon can happen in a few days, but complete healing may take up to several months.
• 🏃‍♂️ Eccentric exercises, where the muscle lengthens, are recommended as part of the healing process for tendons.
• 🤲 Gentle stretching and massaging of the tendon during healing can help ensure proper collagen fiber alignment.
• 📝 A proper rehabilitation schedule and a good diagnosis are crucial for effective tendon healing.
• 👨‍⚕️ Consulting a healthcare professional for a proper diagnosis is advised if you're not adept at self-diagnosing tendon injuries.

Q & A

What are tendons and how are they different from ligaments and fascia?

Tendons are connective tissues made mostly of collagen that connect muscle to bone. They are strong and have some elasticity, functioning somewhat like springs during activities like jumping or running. Ligaments, also made of collagen, connect bone to bone, while fascia connects muscle to muscle.

What is the basic function of tendons in the human body?

Tendons facilitate movement by connecting muscles to bones. They are responsible for the transmission of forces exerted by muscles to the bones, enabling various physical activities.

How do tendons store and release energy during movement?

Tendons, due to their elastic properties, act like springs. They store energy during the downward phase of movements, such as jumping, and release it during the upward phase, aiding in the movement's efficiency.

What is the structural composition of a healthy tendon?

A healthy tendon is composed of bundles of collagen fibers that are arranged in a parallel fashion. This arrangement provides the tendon with its strength and resilience.

What happens when a tendon is injured?

Tendon injuries, known as tendinopathies, occur when the load on the tendon exceeds its capacity to withstand repetitive stress, leading to micro-tears. If the rate of degradation exceeds the rate of regeneration, it can result in chronic issues.

What is the term used to describe acute tendon injuries that lead to inflammation?

The term 'tendonitis' is used to describe acute tendon injuries that result in inflammation. It is a common condition, especially among aging athletes.

How long does it typically take to heal a tendon injury?

While the initial repair of a tendon may happen within a few days, it can take up to several months for a tendon to fully heal and regain its strength.

What type of exercises are recommended during the healing process of a tendon?

Eccentric style exercises are recommended during tendon healing. These exercises involve the lengthening of muscles, such as lowering a weight in a biceps curl, which can help in the proper alignment of collagen fibers during healing.

Why is it important to move, stretch, and gently massage the tendon while it's healing?

Moving, stretching, and gently massaging the tendon during healing helps ensure that the new collagen fibers are laid down in a parallel arrangement, which is crucial for the tendon's strength and function.

What is the role of a healthcare professional in diagnosing and treating tendon injuries?

A healthcare professional can provide an accurate diagnosis of a tendon injury and recommend an appropriate rehabilitation schedule. They can also guide on the type and intensity of exercises to perform during recovery.

Why is it advised not to completely stop exercising when recovering from a tendon injury?

Complete cessation of exercise can lead to muscle atrophy and loss of fitness. It is advised to modify activities to put less stress on the injured tendon, allowing for healing while maintaining some level of physical activity.

Outlines

00:00

💪 Understanding Tendons and Their Injuries

This paragraph introduces the basic anatomy and function of tendons, which are strong, elastic connective tissues made mostly of collagen that connect muscles to bones. It explains the role of tendons in movement and their structure, composed of bundles of collagen fibers. The paragraph also discusses the concept of tendinitis, a common injury resulting from repetitive stress that leads to micro-tears and inflammation. The importance of proper healing and the potential need for medical diagnosis is highlighted.

Keywords

💡Tendons

Tendons are connective tissues that primarily connect muscle to bone, allowing for movement. They are made mostly of collagen, similar to ligaments and fascia, but serve a distinct function. In the video, tendons are highlighted for their strength and elasticity, which is crucial for activities like jumping and running. The script mentions that tendons act like springs, storing and releasing energy during movement.

💡Collagen

Collagen is a protein that forms the main component of connective tissues like tendons, ligaments, and skin. It provides strength and flexibility. In the context of the video, collagen's role in maintaining the structural integrity of tendons is emphasized, as a healthy tendon has tightly packed collagen fibers running parallel to each other.

💡Fascia

Fascia refers to the connective tissue that surrounds and separates muscles, bones, and other internal structures. It is similar to tendons in composition but serves to connect muscle to muscle. The script clarifies the difference between fascia and tendons, noting that tendons connect muscle to bone, which is essential for understanding the anatomy and function of these tissues.

💡Tendinitis

Tendinitis is the term used to describe inflammation of a tendon, often resulting from overuse or injury. It is a common condition, particularly among athletes, and is characterized by pain and tenderness around the affected area. The video script explains that tendinitis is an acute tendon injury and suggests that managing inflammation is key to healing.

💡Micro-tears

Micro-tears refer to small injuries within the tendon fibers that can occur due to excessive or repetitive stress. The script explains that while the body can usually repair these micro-tears, if the rate of damage exceeds the body's ability to regenerate, it can lead to chronic tendon issues.

💡Eccentric exercises

Eccentric exercises involve lengthening of the muscle while under tension, such as lowering a weight in a bicep curl. The video recommends these types of exercises as part of the rehabilitation process for tendon injuries, as they help to promote proper alignment of the healing collagen fibers.

💡Rehabilitation

Rehabilitation in the context of the video refers to the process of healing and restoring function to an injured tendon. It involves a combination of rest, controlled movement, and exercises to promote healing and prevent further injury. The script emphasizes the importance of a proper rehab schedule for effective recovery.

💡Inflammation

Inflammation is the body's natural response to injury or infection and is characterized by redness, heat, pain, and swelling. In the video, inflammation is associated with tendinitis and is a sign that the tendon has been injured. Managing inflammation is part of the healing process.

💡Diagnosis

Diagnosis is the identification of a disease or condition through examination and testing. The video script suggests that getting an accurate diagnosis is crucial for proper tendon healing. It also implies that self-diagnosis may not be sufficient, and consulting a healthcare professional is recommended.

💡Regeneration

Regeneration refers to the body's ability to repair or replace damaged tissues. In the context of tendon injuries, the script mentions that if the rate of degradation of the tendon exceeds its ability to regenerate, it can lead to chronic problems. Thus, regeneration is a key aspect of the healing process.

💡Static tissues

Static tissues, as mentioned in the script, are those that resist change or movement. Tendons, despite being strong and capable of withstanding load, are described as static because they do not change shape or position during function. This characteristic is important for their role in connecting muscle to bone.

Highlights

Tendons are connective tissues primarily made of collagen, similar to ligaments and fascia.

Tendons connect muscle to bone, while ligaments connect bone to bone and fascia connect muscle to muscle.

Tendons have both strong and elastic properties, functioning like springs during activities like jumping or running.

A healthy tendon structure consists of parallel collagen fibers, providing strength.

Injured tendons, known as tendinopathies, occur when the rate of degradation exceeds regeneration due to repetitive strain.

Common areas for tendon injuries include joints like the elbow, shoulder, and knee.

Tendonitis is a common term for acute tendon injuries that result in inflammation.

Inflammation in tendons can be painful and may require a change in activities to reduce stress on the tendon.

Initial repair of a tendon may occur within days, but full healing can take up to several months.

Eccentric exercises, where muscles lengthen, are recommended for tendon rehabilitation.

Gentle stretching and massaging of the tendon during healing can help ensure proper collagen fiber alignment.

A proper rehabilitation schedule is crucial for tendon healing and recovery.

Seeking a professional diagnosis is recommended for accurate injury assessment and treatment.

Tendons are complex structures that are more intricate than can be covered in a short video.

The video encourages viewers to subscribe for more educational content on the science of the body.

Transcripts

‏to do what you need to heal you need to

understand the basics of those

tendons tend basics the tendons are

connective tissue made up mostly of

collagen and that's somewhat like

ligaments and fas now let's get this out

of the way from the beginning so that

there's no confusion lig connect bone to

bone fas connect muscle to muscle and

tendons connect muscle to bone you see

when you move your bones contract muscl

muscl

tend ‏tendons and that means they have

to extrem strong but tendons ar just

these strong static tissues they also

have elastic properties so if you're

jumping or running they work a bit like

a spring storing some of the energy and

releasing it on the upward bound and

that's pretty cool now look at the

actual structure of a tendon each tendon

like this one is made up of different

bundles here is a bundle there are

bundles here bundles here bundles here

and finally here is the collagen fi if

you have a healthy tendon it looks a bit

like ‏this with den ar of collagen

fibers all parallel to each other this

structure keeps them strong and opposite

of healthy tendons are injured tendons

and tendon injuries are known as tendies

here's how this works tendons are meant

to withstand a lot of repetitive loading

but if the load becomes too great then

the tendon gets stressed they get micro

tears most of the time your body can

repair these pretty easily yet if the

tendon is repeatedly strain so that the

rate of degradation exceeds that of

regeneration that is where the problem

start now

‏t joint elbow

shoulder basically areas we put thein on

if you go to a doctor or health

professional you might hear terms that

describe tendon injuries the most common

term is tendonitis which describes acute

tendon injuries that lead to

inflammation also one of the most common

things that aging athletes get that infl

tendon can hurt of course we understand

right that inflammation

is

‏do he it

heep more some comes in ess change up

the activities doing to put ait less

stress on that tendon you don't have to

totally stop exercising and just you

know the initial repair of that tendon

will happen in a few days but to

permanently heal it may take more like

to si months you just want to make sure

you're not

over

‏up next step is reh

thecage to be eccentric style exercises

that means exercises where letting your

muscle lengthen like lowering a biceps

curl that's eccentric motion lots of

doctors now recommend moving stretching

and gently massaging your tendon while

it's healing the goal of this is to make

sure that your healing collagen fib make

up your tend end up laying down in the

all par to

[מוזיקה]

‏he and in the end remember getting the

rehab schedule is really to healing and

do that to get a good diagnosis if you

don't think adept enough at diagnosing

your own injury then i highly recommend

a good oric

[מוזיקה]

doctor i hope you enjoyed this quick

tendon basics video tendons are really

cool and honestly a lot more complex

than this short video could do justice

to and remember to subscribe here if ath

for more short videos ‏help understand

the science of your

body