Tendinopathy

Question 1

What is tendinopathy

Answer 1

Complex, inflammation, collagen remodelling, cell proliferation, neangiogenesis (new blood cells)

Question 2

What does an abnormal tendon look like

Answer 2

Much larger, different colours in tendon, dark areas are hypoechoic zones, tendon degraded bigger diameter, opaque and dark, fibres non uniform and mushed, likely to go on and rupture

Question 3

What are the stages of structural change in tendinopathy

Answer 3

Alterations to tendon cell population
Disorganisation of collagen
Ground substance change
Neurovascularisatio

Question 4

What are alterations to tendon cell population

Answer 4

Increased number of tenocytes, increased tenocyte metabolism, increased immature tenocytes that aren’t producing collagen, increased rate of apoptosis

Question 5

What is disorganisation of collagen

Answer 5

Reduction of type 1 collagen, disorganised areas of higher concentrations of immature collagen bundles increased type 2

Question 6

What are ground substance changes

Answer 6

PG and GAG content alters, increased H2O, chemical alterations, substance P, glutamate and lactate

Question 7

What’s neurovascularisation

Answer 7

Influx of blood vessels into the anterior surface and mid substance tissue is associated various nerve fibres in growing into the tendon

Question 8

How does tendinopathy occur

Answer 8

Increasing rate of wear reducing ability of muscle to repair
Increased BMI, diabetes, age, medication, gender, genetic predisposition, sedentary behaviour, sleep, stress

Question 9

What can tendinopathy be described as

Answer 9

Active process of degeneration that involves inflammatory pathways