Condition
Tendinitis
Pain and dysfunction at a tendon from repetitive loading. Often called tendinopathy, the modern term that better fits what's happening in the tissue.
Symptoms
- Localized pain at a specific tendon (elbow, Achilles, patellar, rotator cuff)
- Pain that warms up during activity and is worst the next morning
- Stiffness at the start of activity
- Reduced load tolerance compared to your usual capacity
Causes
Tendinopathy develops when load on a tendon outpaces its ability to adapt. Common scenarios:
- A sudden increase in training volume or intensity
- New activity introduced without progressive build-up
- Repetitive work tasks (typing, gripping, lifting)
- Insufficient recovery between bouts of loading
How we treat it
The current evidence favors progressive loading, not rest. The tendon needs work to adapt, but the dose has to be right. We assess your current capacity, build a loading program that’s challenging but tolerable, and progress it over weeks. Manual therapy and dry needling can help symptom management; the loading program is what drives recovery.
Tendons take time. A typical recovery is measured in months, not weeks. Setting that expectation upfront makes the work easier to commit to.