Lec 6: Tendinopathy

Question 1

What is the name of tendon cells

Answer 1

Tenocytes

Question 2

Tenocytes respond to

Answer 2

mechanical load

Need mechanical load to manufacture ECM

Question 3

ECM is composed of (4)

Answer 3

• Collagen (Mainly type 1)
• Ground substance (proteoglycans and water)
• Glycoproteins
• Connective tissue

Question 4

What is the timeframe that a tendon need for an increased collagen response

Answer 4

24 to 72 hours

Question 5

Reactive phase

Answer 5

First stage of pathology is called reactive tendinopathy - this is reversible if you then give appropriate load of deload. this will allow tendon to heal and it will go back up to normal

Question 6

tendon dysrepair

Answer 6

if you continue down the continuum after the reactive phase is tendon dysrepair (things are getting worse) - but it is still reversible

Question 7

What happens if you unload a tendon

Answer 7

There is no deformation and it would lead to a stress shield response –> tendinopathy

Question 8

How does a tendon enter the reactive phase and what happens in this phase

Answer 8

Occurs with acute compressive or tensile load

Short term adaptive thickening due to increased number of tenocytes

Collagen tissue may have some longitudinal separation

Question 9

What happens to the tendon in the Dysrepair phase

Answer 9

Greater matrix breakdown

Separation of collagen and disorganization of matrix

Increase is vascularity and neural ingrowth

Question 10

What happens in the degenerative phase

Answer 10

Area of cell death

Changes in collagen type

Collagen is disordered Large area of blood vessel and neural ingrowth

Changes are focal

Question 11

Tendonitis, are anti inflammatories a good intervention

Answer 11

No, tendons do not have inflammation. therefore we shouldn’t treat it with anti inflammatories