Key learning points:

1. If you overload a normal tendon you get a reactive tendon. This is reversible back to a normal tendon.

2. If you overload a reactive tendon you get tendon dysrepair. We don’t know for sure if this is reversible back to a normal tendon, but theoretically it is.

3. If you overload a tendon in dysrepair you get a degenerative tendon. This is not reversible back to normal.

4. If you overload a degenerative tendon (the healthy part, as the degenerative part can’t take any load) you get a reactive on degenerative tendon.

5. The most common cause of these progressions through the stages of tendinopathy are period of unloading (usually > 2 weeks) followed by a period of re-loading.