twtd: (Default)
twtd ([personal profile] twtd) wrote in [community profile] lifting_heavy_things2012-05-09 12:35 am

Tendons

I've recently started lifting with a couple of friends, and while I'm really enjoying it and my muscles aren't too terribly sore now that they've gotten used to doing things again, my tendons are not as happy. I've had problems with tendonitis and tendonosis in the past, and I'm wondering if there are any good exercises to increase tendon strength/resiliency, mainly in my knees and elbows. I've found some achilles tendon exercises but that's probably the one tendon I know how to train/stretch/strengthen. I'm at a loss for the others. I know that my tendons are going to give out long before my muscles do and I'd like to prevent that from happening. I'd love any suggestions.
rydra_wong: Tight shot of a woman's back (Krista of stumptuous) as she does a pull-up. (strength -- pull-up)

[personal profile] rydra_wong 2012-05-09 07:20 am (UTC)(link)
YMMV, but in my experience, the "eccentric loading" protocols for tendonosis work like magic -- I do a lot of climbing, and found this invaluable for clearing up elbow tendonosis.

This is a guide to using it to treat elbow tendonitis/osis -- oriented towards climbers, but it should be possible to adapt it to meet your needs:

http://www.athlon.com.au/articles/r&i_dodgyelbow.pdf

This is a good blod post from Dave MacLeod (a climber and climbing coach who has a master's degree in sports science) explaining the research basis:

http://www.onlineclimbingcoach.blogspot.co.uk/2011/02/golferstennis-elbow-etc-what-eccentrics.html

This is an article on the research basis for using eccentric exercise for patellar tendonopathy, with a case study:

http://ptjournal.apta.org/content/86/3/450.full

Unfortunately it doesn't detail the exercises used, but only refers to "exercises that stressed the knee extensor mechanism in an eccentric mode only" -- should be fairly easy to work out, though.