Such a simple but profound statement by Prof. Jill Cook 💥
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Every single tendon in your body is alive & dynamically reacting to its environment 🌳
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❌Tendons are not just simple inanimate structures that connect muscle to bone & break down overtime!
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Instead, when tendons are subjected to repeated loading, such as through weight-bearing exercises 🏃♀️or resistance training 🏋🏻♀️they respond by ⬆️the production of collagen fibers and other structural proteins, which can strengthen the tendon tissue.
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But this is a SLOW process.
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It takes time and patience….often with a 2 steps forward, 1 step back pattern.
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Tendons prefer consistent loading, (& not sudden surprises 😲)
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That is why load management is so important ✅
. And load hides in ‘hard to find places’ 🔎 …so a bit of detective work is often needed to get to bottom of persistent cases.
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There are many nuances in tendon rehab, so having an experienced Physiotherapist who can guide your recovery, acting as your coach can be an invaluable part of your team👬
. ❌Rather than relying on medication, ice, cortisone injections and EVEN MORE rest to heal, tendons need lots of blood flow and movement ASAP.
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Most importantly tendons need regular targeted micro-dosing of stress ➕adequate time to recover ✅
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It's also worth mentioning that certain factors such as age, genetics, and underlying medical conditions can affect tendon health and its ability to adapt to changes in loading.
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When we reframe our bodies as complex living ecosystems, rather than complicated mechanical machines that needs fixing and repairing, we can access our inbuilt (but often dormant) human superpower: POSITIVE ADAPTATION ✅
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To learn more & take a listen to Jill Cooks podcast episode
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Any questions or comments about your tendon rehab, feel free to drop in the comments 👇