What Is Tendinopathy? Understanding Tendon Pain & How to Treat It

Dr. Matt
Jul 29, 2025
3 min read

Tendon Pain? Here’s What You Should Know.

What Is a Tendon, and Why Does It Hurt?

A tendon is a strong, rope-like structure that connects muscle to bone. It helps you move, lift, and stay active. But if you use a tendon too much—like during a new workout or repetitive task—it can become irritated and painful. That kind of pain is often called tendinopathy.

The Three Stages of Tendinopathy

Researchers have discovered that tendinopathy doesn’t happen all at once. It moves through a continuum of stages—just like a rope that slowly wears out over time.

Stage 1: Early Irritation (Reactive Tendinopathy)

The tendon swells a little to protect itself after too much use. You might feel stiffness or soreness during or after activity. This stage can improve quickly with rest and proper movement.

Stage 2: Confused Healing (Tendon Dysrepair)

The tendon is trying to heal, but the tissue becomes disorganized. It’s like a rope starting to fray. Pain might be more noticeable during and after exercise.

Stage 3: Worn Down (Degenerative Tendinopathy)

In long-term cases, the tendon has weak or damaged spots. But even here, many parts of the tendon are still healthy—and with the right exercises, they can take over and get stronger.

Why Imaging Like MRIs Often Don’t Help

You might think an MRI or ultrasound would show what’s wrong with your tendon. But here’s what the research says:

Many people with tendon pain have normal scans
Many people with abnormal scans have no pain at all

So imaging doesn’t tell the whole story. At Thrive HQ, we focus more on how you feel, how you move, and what your goals are—not just what a picture shows.

How We Treat Tendinopathy at Thrive HQ

Our treatment is based on science, not guesswork. Here's how we help you heal:

Step 1: We Listen to Your Story

We start by learning what’s bothering you, how long it’s been going on, and what activities matter most to you.

Step 2: We Assess Your Movement

We look for things like weakness, tightness, or poor control. That helps us understand how the tendon is being stressed.

Step 3: We Guide You Through the Right Exercises

You’ll do a personalized program designed to slowly make your tendon stronger. This may include isometrics, eccentric loading, or heavy slow resistance training—depending on what stage you're in.

Step 4: We Adjust Your Training

We won’t tell you to stop moving—we help you move smarter, not less. Whether you're a runner, lifter, or weekend warrior, we'll keep you active while helping you recover.

Step 5: We Add Tools When Needed

We may use dry needling, manual therapy, or other techniques to reduce pain and support healing. But exercises are always the foundation.

Recovery Takes Time—But It Works

Tendon healing doesn’t happen overnight. But with patience and the right plan, you’ll feel stronger, more confident, and back to doing what you love.

At Thrive HQ, we specialize in helping busy, active adults recover from tendon pain—and prevent it from coming back.

Ready to Get to the Root of Your Tendon Pain?

Get to the root cause of your tendon pain

If you're dealing with tendon pain that just won’t go away, it’s time for a smarter approach. At Thrive HQ, our Pain Diagnostic Session helps uncover what stage of tendinopathy you’re in — and more importantly, why it happened in the first place.

We’ll assess your movement, stress loads, and training habits to build a plan that actually works — so you can get back to running, lifting, or living pain-free.

🎯 Claim Your Pain Diagnostic Session

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