How to Head Off Tendon Trouble

Tendons connect your muscles and your bones. Your ability to move your body is at risk when tendon tissue becomes inflamed, ruptures or breaks down. You might experience pain or stiffness, swelling and weakness. 

A sudden awkward movement is sometimes to blame — but everyday activities that require repetitive movements pose particular risks. (Think: Typing long hours at the office, which may make your hands hurt, or doing repeated jumping exercises that cause knee problems.)

"The most common type of tendon injury is an overuse, or wear-and-tear, injury," Andarawis-Puri said. "It’s not necessarily painful once it starts and can be silent for a long time."

And during that silent time, serious damage may accrue.

Once that happens, Andarawis-Puri said, "essentially you have degeneration."

If you suspect you have a tendon problem, what should you do?

First, get treatment as soon as you can, to avoid making matters worse. Your doctor may suggest pain relievers, ice and rest. Sometimes, physical therapy comes into play.

Meanwhile, Andarawis-Puri and other experts are working to better understand when and how exercise may be beneficial. 

"Our research shows that with the right timing and conditions, movement can actually trigger the tendon to repair," she said, noting that animal research suggests that waiting at least two weeks before exercising is beneficial.

Animal studies have yielded other intriguing findings.

Researchers have found that some animals can fully repair tendon tissue in adulthood. Zebrafish, for example, are able to regenerate tendons throughout their lives. 

Jenna Galloway, a regenerative medicine expert at Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, is working to understand how mammals respond to a fully torn tendon.

Unlike those of zebrafish, people’s tendons usually scar, rather than regenerate.

At the University of Michigan, Adam Abraham is working to better understand how chronic injuries change tendon fibers. 

Tendons are made up of cells called tenocytes and bundles of the protein collagen that form long, spiraling chains. These chains look almost like springs, which "allows them to coil and uncoil," absorbing the force from body movements, Abraham said. 

His team has developed a way to use cells from patients’ tendons to grow 3D structures, roughly the size of a human hair. 

The aim: To grow thousands of these microtendons from a single person, allowing researchers to expose the tissue to different conditions and see how they respond. They’re comparing microtendons from folks with healthy tendon tissue to those with chronic tendon problems.

"We’re hoping with this 3D system, we will be able to synthesize many hundreds of different environments at the same time," Abraham said. "So we can screen what might be a possible fix."

His team is also testing a restorative gel that could be injected into an injured tendon.

While researchers try to learn more, it’s important to take care of your tendons and treat injuries promptly.

The National Institutes of Health recommends:

• Warming up or stretching before you exercise

• Exercising regularly to strengthen muscles around your joints

• Taking frequent breaks when doing activities that require repetitive motions

• Avoiding sitting for prolonged periods and practicing good posture and body position

• Beginning new physical activities gradually, increasing intensity over time

• Stopping activity if it causes pain

• Using padding, gloves or grip tape to cushion your joints while using sports equipment or tools

More information

UFHealth has more about tendon injuries.

SOURCE: NIH News in Health, December 2025

What This Means For You

Unlike some animals, humans don't regenerate damaged tendon tissue, so it's important to take steps to prevent injury.