Tendon injuries are one of the most common reasons people seek physiotherapy. Whether you’re a runner, tradie, office worker, or weekend gardener, tendon pain can creep in gradually and start interfering with daily life.

Understanding what a tendon injury is — and how physiotherapy helps — can make a big difference to your recovery.

What is a tendon injury?

A tendon connects muscle to bone. When a tendon is overloaded repeatedly over time, it can become irritated, painful, and weak. This is called tendinopathy (often mistakenly called “tendonitis”).

Unlike acute injuries, tendon problems usually:

Develop gradually
Feel worse with activity
Feel stiff in the morning
Flare up after doing “too much”

Common tendon injuries we see in clinic include:

1. Achilles tendinopathy (back of the ankle)

Common in: runners, walkers, tradies, people returning to exercise
Pain location: back of the heel/ankle, stiffness first thing in the morning

How physio helps:

Load management (reducing aggravating activities without stopping everything)
Specific calf strengthening (often eccentric or heavy slow resistance)
Ankle mobility work
Gradual return-to-running or walking program

2. Lateral epicondylitis (outside of the elbow)

Common in: desk workers, parents lifting children, trades, racquet sports
Pain location: outside of the elbow, pain with gripping or lifting

How physio helps:

Forearm strengthening program
Grip load modification
Taping or bracing when needed
Ergonomic advice for work setup

3. Patellar tendinopathy (front of the knee)

Common in: jumping sports, gym-goers, runners
Pain location: just below the kneecap, worse with stairs, squats, jumping

How physio helps:

Quad and hip strengthening
Load progression for squats and jumping
Technique correction for sport and gym
Structured return-to-sport plan

4. Rotator cuff tendinopathy (shoulder)

Common in: painters, gym training, swimmers, office workers
Pain location: side of the shoulder, pain lifting arm or sleeping on that side

How physio helps:

Rotator cuff and shoulder blade strengthening
Posture and movement retraining
Advice on sleeping and work positions
Gradual return to overhead activity

Why tendon injuries don’t improve with rest alone

Many people try to “rest it off.” Tendons actually need the right type of load to heal. Too much rest can make the tendon weaker. Too much activity keeps it irritated.

Physiotherapy finds the middle ground:
The right load, at the right time, progressed the right way.

What a physio program for tendinopathy looks like

A typical plan includes:

Education about what’s happening
Reducing aggravating loads (not complete rest)
A progressive strengthening program over 8–12 weeks
Gradual return to work, sport, or hobbies
Preventing recurrence by improving strength and capacity

The good news: tendons respond very well to rehab

With the correct program, most tendon injuries improve significantly without injections or surgery.

Need help with tendon pain?

At our clinic, Tristan has a special interest in treating tendon injuries and persistent overuse pain. He focuses on tailored loading programs, strength progression, and practical return-to-work and sport plans to help patients recover confidently and reduce the risk of recurrence.

If you’ve had a “niggling” tendon pain for weeks or months, booking in with Tristan can be a great first step toward getting back to doing what you enjoy.