Jake Tuura, the 'Tendon King,' shares insights on managing tendon pain, patellar tendinopathy, and potential future move into animal rehab. Topics include injury woes, wait and see method, and the impact of loading on tendon health. Discussion on plyometric vs. strength training effects on tendons, metabolic function's role in athletic performance, and frustrations in tendon research.
Metabolic health influences tendon integrity, emphasizing the importance of staying active and maintaining a healthy lifestyle for optimal tendon resilience.
Lifetime volume of high tendon stress from sports participation impacts tendon adaptation and stiffness, emphasizing the benefits of long-term athletic activities.
Plyometric training enhances tendon coordination and adaptation by optimizing muscle-tendon interaction, complementing strength training for improved functional movement patterns.
Deep dives
The Impact of Metabolic Health on Tendon Health
Metabolic health plays a significant role in tendon health, with factors like blood pressure, cholesterol, and blood sugar levels influencing the integrity of tendons. For youth athletes, staying active and maintaining a healthy lifestyle can support optimal metabolic health, which in turn benefits tendon resilience. As individuals age, issues like obesity and metabolic disorders can impact tendon health, making it crucial to focus on maintaining metabolic health to support overall tendon function.
Importance of Lifetime Volume of High Tendon Stress for Tendon Adaptation
Lifetime volume of high tendon stress, especially through sports participation, can significantly impact tendon adaptation and resilience. Engaging in long-term athletic activities that stress the tendons consistently, such as playing basketball or volleyball, can lead to increased stiffness and strength in tendons, providing superior adaptive responses compared to short-term strength training interventions. Repetitive high strain activities over time lead to greater tendon adaptations and improved performance.
Role of Plyometric Training in Tendon Coordination and Adaptation
Plyometric training, in addition to strength training, plays a role in tendon coordination and adaptation by enhancing muscle-tendon unit interaction. The coordination aspect of plyometric exercises focuses on optimizing the functional relationship between muscles and tendons, promoting efficient force generation and transfer. While strength training can improve tendon stiffness, plyometric exercises further enhance tendon functionality by training dynamic movement patterns and refining neuromuscular coordination.
Impact of Advanced Glycation End Products (AGEs) on Tendon Integrity
Advanced Glycation End Products (AGEs) resulting from chronically elevated blood sugar can impact tendon integrity by leading to the formation of brittle, sugar cross-links within tendon collagen. These sugar cross-links, caused by AGE accumulation, can make tendons more susceptible to brittleness and potential rupture. Maintaining proper metabolic health and blood sugar levels is crucial to reduce the risk of AGE formation and preserve tendon resilience.
Circadian Rhythm's Impact on Tendons
As individuals age, the circadian rhythm's influence on tendons becomes more pronounced. The balance between the building phase and cleanup phase within tendons diminishes with age, leading to metabolic issues. The amplitude of the circadian rhythm decreases over time, affecting the effectiveness of tendon repair and maintenance. Variations in circadian rhythm duration as individuals age impact the efficiency of tendon processes, with longer circadian rhythms prolonging recovery and repair times.
Tendon Turnover and Activity Levels
Studies on tendon turnover reveal insights into tendon health and activity levels. Research indicates that tendons retain collagen remnants from specific periods, affecting their composition as individuals age. Tendons exhibit differing states of activity, with tendonopathy resulting in increased active collagen turnover. Biopsies from individuals with Achilles ruptures highlight substantial collagen turnover, indicating potential implications for tendon strength and injury risk.
We welcome Jake back for his second appearance on the show and we couldn’t be happier! Dubbed as “Tendon King” by Angus, Jake has a massive amount of experience on tendon pain and rehab, and brings all of that with him and more to the podcast! The boys chat: Jake’s recent injury woes, patellar tendinopathy, the “wait and see” method, and Jake’s potential future move into animal rehab!
