Contents
Definition
- Tendinopathy is thought to be an adaptive response of the tendon to repetitive stress and/or trauma and may progress through stages of increasing severity. It can be considered in 3 stages 1
- Reactive tendinopathy
- Response to rapid increase in loading or from direct trauma
- Leads to thickening of the tendon and increases stiffness
- Tendon disrepair
- A result of prolonged excessive loading
- May lead to increase in vascularity and neuronal ingrowth
- Degenerative tendinopathy
- Chronic overloading leading to collagen tissue becoming disorganized which may lead to partial tears and ruptures (typically in elderly)
- The diagnosis may often be a result of misinterpretation where the lateral epicondyliopathy is really at fault
- Reactive tendinopathy
Causes
- Frequently damaged in hand trauma2
Examination
- Resisted extension of fingers – painful and possibly weak
- To rule out lateral epicondyliopathy the test should be held with the fingers actively flexed – this test should be negative
Occurrence
- Rare