In a recent paper in BJSM, http://bjsm.bmj.com/content/early/2013/03/22/bjsports-2012-091707.abstract the importance of considering the viscous properties in tendinopathy are discussed. This paper adds further weight to this consideration.
Transferring this to the clinical setting it highlights how important it is in health or disease to allow enough time for tendon properties to recover after loading.
The focus has often been on collagen changes and adaptations, and whilst this is important, the point of the PG and GAGs may often be diluted.
Would there now be more emphasis on the role of PGs in the research of tendinopathy?
And how can we translate this into the clinical setting ?
Article GAG depletion increases the stress-relaxation response of te...
Dear Arturo,
With a single bout of exercise if it is well tolerated by the tendon and the recuperation period is good there is a positive net synthesis of collagen in the tendon, so it keds to a good adaptation and to a "trained" tendon.
probably in the tendon research field there would be more emphasis on the role of PGs in the research of tendinopathy, but for the moment the best wat to treat tendinopathies is to manage load.
yes i agree with the load management concept but ... the ECM and its components are important constituents of the tendon, serving as a medium for load dissipation, tensile and shearing between fascicles and influencial in the process of mechanotransduction, which affects manufacture of PGs as it does collagen and everything else made by the tenocyte.
as clinicians, we focus on collagen a lot as the "visible" entity in loading and tendon health...maybe strategies to influence the matrix a little more ought to be researched...just a thought.
No, no, it is not just a thoght... the role of ECM in tendon and muscle injuries is really important but there is still little knowledge on this.
Professor Richard Lieber has some studies on ECM function and he is working in that field.