Tendinopathy Assessment and Management in Sports Medicine
Summary
Tendinopathy encompasses a spectrum of tendon disorders characterised by pain, impaired performance and structural alterations arising from overuse or aberrant loading. Current understanding frames tendinopathy as a failed healing response in which tendons progress through reactive, disrepair and degenerative stages. Clinically, patients present with activity-related pain, localised tenderness and variable functional deficits. Assessment combines patient history, clinical examination and validated outcome measures such as the Victorian Institute of Sport Assessment (VISA) scales to quantify pain and function. Imaging modalities including ultrasound, Doppler assessment and shear-wave elastography afford insight into tendon thickness, neovascularisation and biomechanical properties, aiding diagnosis and monitoring of therapy.
Management prioritises load-modification and progressive exercise, with eccentric and slow concentric strengthening protocols forming the cornerstone of rehabilitation. Emerging adjuncts—such as extracorporeal shockwave therapy, high-volume injections and targeted nutraceuticals—are tailored to individual presentations and based on the stage of pathology. Preventive strategies focus on optimizing training load, movement patterns and intrinsic factors such as muscle flexibility and tendon stiffness. Multidisciplinary collaboration among sports physicians, physiotherapists and radiologists is essential to deliver evidence-based, patient-centred care that minimises recurrence and accelerates return to sport.
Research from Nature Portfolio
No recent Nature Portfolio content available.
Tendinopathy Assessment and Management in Sports Medicine publication trend
The graph below shows the total number of articles in tendinopathy assessment and management in sports medicine across all publications each year (not limited to Nature Index journals).
Technical terms
Tendinopathy: A clinical syndrome of tendon pain and dysfunction associated with failed healing rather than acute inflammation.
Eccentric exercise: A muscle-lengthening contraction under load, widely used in tendon rehabilitation to stimulate tendon remodelling.
VISA scale: A validated questionnaire (Victorian Institute of Sport Assessment) measuring pain, function and activity in tendinopathy patients.
Shear-wave elastography: An ultrasound technique that quantifies tissue stiffness by measuring the speed of shear waves through tendon material.
Extracorporeal shockwave therapy: A non-invasive treatment delivering acoustic pressure waves to promote tendon regeneration and pain relief.
References
- Effectiveness of Exercise Treatments with or without Adjuncts for Common Lower Limb Tendinopathies: A Living Systematic Review and Network Meta-analysis. Sports Medicine - Open (2023).
- Long-term Prognosis of Patellar Tendinopathy (Jumper’s Knee) in Young, Elite Volleyball Players: Tendon Changes 11 Years After Baseline. The American Journal of Sports Medicine (2024).
- Revisiting the continuum model of tendon pathology: what is its merit in clinical practice and research?. British Journal of Sports Medicine (2016).
- Efficacy of extracorporeal shock wave therapy for knee tendinopathies and other soft tissue disorders: a meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. BMC Musculoskeletal Disorders (2018).
- Oral Supplementation of Specific Collagen Peptides Combined with Calf-Strengthening Exercises Enhances Function and Reduces Pain in Achilles Tendinopathy Patients. Nutrients (2019).
Turn complex research questions into confident strategic decisions
When you're under pressure to set direction, justify investment, or understand your competitive position, you need more than raw data — you need trusted insights you can act on.
Benchmark your performance against global peers using robust, methodologically sound analysis.
Combine quantitative metrics with qualitative expert insight to uncover strengths, gaps and emerging opportunities.
Gain tailored, decision-ready recommendations aligned to your strategic priorities.
Talk to us to learn more about our data dashboards and bespoke strategy reports.
Grow research skills, confidence and careers with training built for every stage of the research lifecycle.
Developed with Nature Portfolio journal Editors and internationally renowned experts. Discover three ways to learn:
Self-paced, online courses in convenient bite-sized units, covering key skills across scientific writing, publishing, grant writing, data analysis, and more.
Expert trainer-led workshops with hands-on exercises and real-time feedback across core research skills, delivered via interactive group sessions.
Editor-led workshops combining core principles in writing and publishing, personalised 1:1 feedback from Nature Portfolio Editors and hands-on exercises.
Explore course catalogues and workshop agendas, enquire about the options or request institutional pricing.