If you have dealt with an injury before, or if you are an individual in the profession of healthcare, you have heard the word “tendon” with various endings after the root of this word, whether it be “tendinosis”, “tendinitis”, “paratenonitis”, “tenosynovitis” or “tendinopathy”. The terminology behind various tendon conditions is inconsistent in the realm of healthcare, which can lead to confusion for patients and even misdiagnoses by practitioners! In all actuality, does this really matter? For example, think about the Achilles tendon. Will treatment change if someone has an Achilles tendinitis versus an Achilles tendinosis? The answer is YES! Moreover, it is extremely important for individuals to not only receive the correct diagnosis from a healthcare professional but also understand the role they must play in helping facilitate an optimal healing process! In this article, we will review the important differences between tendinitis versus tendinosis, why these differences are important to understand, and evidence-based treatment strategies for these conditions.
The Achilles tendon is the largest tendon of the body for a good reason, it takes much of the load when we are running, jumping, or even walking! This tendon connects the calf muscles to the heel assisting with force transmission and acts like a spring when you push your foot off the floor. Achilles Tendinopathy is when the Achilles tendon is irritated or painful. The majority of individuals that suffer from Achilles Tendinopathy are active individuals, from the weekend warrior to the high-level athlete. Achilles Tendinopathy seems to be as high as 7-30% in runners, 2.1-5.1% in soccer players, and 12.5% in rock climbers¹. This article will show you an evidence-based approach to how to rehab Achilles tendinopathy.
