Michael Kjaer on the pathogenesis of tendinopathy and tendon healing

Professor Michael Kjaer is Professor in Sports Medicine at the Institute of Sports Medicine and Centre for Healthy Ageing in Copenhagen, Denmark. He has published articles in the areas of Sports Medicine and muscle and tendon adaptation at the structural and mechanical levels as well as at the cellular and molecular level. Michael is interested in mechanisms of adaptations to muscle and tendon following exercise, disuse, disease and ageing. In this podcast on tendon and tendon pathology he gives a synthesis of seven models of tendinopathy, explains the difference between mid-tendon and insertional tendinopathy, presents his views on the healing capacity of tendons, talks about the (absence of a) link between tendinopathy and tendon rupture, and discusses the various interventions that are used in an attempt to promote tendon healing, including eccentric and concentric exercises. Links to articles: Heinemeier KM, Schjerling P, Heinemeier J, Magnusson SP, and Kjaer M. Lack of tissue renewal in human adult Achilles tendon is revealed by nuclear bomb 14C. FASEB Journal 2013;27:2074–9. http://goo.gl/MRmulq Kjaer M. Role of extracellular matrix in adaptation of tendon and skeletal muscle to machanical loading. Physiol Rev 2004;84:649-8. http://goo.gl/tEiirg Magnusson SP, Langberg H, Kjaer M. The pathogenesis of tendinopathy: balancing the response to loading. Nat Rev Rheumatol 2010;6:262-8. http://goo.gl/s1dpDc