Tendon Injuries

Tendons are bands of fibrous connective tissue that connect muscles to bones(Pagorek et al. 2012). Their functions include mediating normal joint movement and stability and to contribute in maintaining body posture(Sharma & Maffulli 2005). Tendons injuries are frequent and cause joint dysfunction that can affect the performance in workplace. Work-related overuse disorders are most common in the tendons and tendon insertions of the upper extremities. The most commonly-affected tendons are in the hand, the wrist, the forearm, and the humeral epicondyles. Conversely, sport-related tendon disorders are more common in the lower extremities, particularly in those who use running as their main form of conditioning(Steering Committee for the Workshop on Work-Related Musculoskeletal Injuries: The Research Base 1999).Sports related Tendon injuries account for about 30%(Sharma & Maffulli 2006) of all running-related injuries and can be as high as 40% for tennis players suffering from elbow tendinopathy(Almekinders & Almekinders 1994). The basic cell biology of tendons is still not fully understood, and the management of tendon injury poses a considerable challenge for clinicians(Sharma & Maffulli 2005; Sharma & Maffulli 2006). …show more content…
This often leads to frustration over the poor treatment options available, and it can take several years to get over tendon damage. The long healing process has always been something of a mystery to medical science because the body's regeneration normally manages to cure most injuries to human tissue. This paper examines healing process of tendon injuries. In the first part of the paper, the structure of tendons will be examined, then the second part will cover tendon injury mechanisms and finally the third part will cover the main phases of the healing process and possible ways to optimize the