Tendon injuries in athletes and casual runners are all too common.Tendon injuries can affect your Achilles, patella, elbow and rotator cuff tendons. Larger tendon injuries like the hamstring and quadriceps are less common, but equally as debilitating.
Tendon injuries can be acute or traumatic… or more commonly simply due to tendinosis or gradual wear and tear. Neither appear to be preventable from classic static stretching.
Many athletes are taught to stretch to prevent injuries. Unfortunately, more and more studies are showing that static stretching (put your leg up on a bench and lean forward and hold it) will not prevent injuries, AND can actually cause weakness and decrease the strength of the muscle stretched.
Tendon injuries are common in sports, and there are many schools of thought on how to avoid them. But a new analysis of past research finds that stretching doesn’t help and might even raise the risk of injury for some.Shock absorbing insoles, and hormone replacement therapy for postmenopausal women, on the other hand, did offer protection for some, the researchers found.
Source: Stretching won’t prevent tendon injuries – Business Insider
There is Hope …
We now recommend simply warming up prior to your planned sport or exercise. Calisthenics, the Nordic hamstring stretch, short slow sprints are far better at getting your muscles warmed up and ready to take on the task at hand.
For those who are suffering from tendinosis, then a unique stretch, known as an eccentric stretch can provide relief from certain painful conditions. But you should seek out the advice of your doctor or a trainer before pursuing them.
SOURCE: http://bit.ly/1CQD0Ex Journal of Science and Medicine in Sport, online March 31, 2015.
