Tendon Pain and The Brain

FUNCTIONAL F1RST

"If you use a metronome to pace your strength training activity, what you get are the changes that you want at a muscle and tendon level, but you also get the changes to your motor cortex."

We speak with Dr. Ebonie Rio [Ba. App Sci, Ba Phys (hons), Masters Sports Phys, PhD] about tendon neuroplastic training, how the brain is involved in tendon pain and what the future holds for tendon rehabilitation.

To learn more about Dr. Ebonie Rio visit LaTrobe University

Learn more about us here.

00:25 Can you introduce yourself?

00:39 What are your main areas of research?

01:05 Can you describe how the brain is involved in tendon pain and rehab?

03:12 As physiotherapist, how can we address this brain involvement?

04:36 Why use auditory cues? Why not visual cues?

05:52 How can you use a metronome clinically with patients?

06:52 With patients are you starting with slower speed and increasing speed as they are able to load their tendon more?

08:17 What rehab phases do you feel are necessary to restore a tendon to full function?

11:08 Why are isometrics so effective in reducing pain?

14:11 Does the exercise you are using to do an isomeric matter?

15:33 If someone has pain with heavy isometrics, does that mean they don’t have a tendon pathology?

17:23 What protocol works best? (Isometric vs. eccentric vs. heavy loading)

18:43 Is strength training important in rehab for someone returning to a sport like running where they don’t usually do strength training?

20:11 How do you monitor tendon load clinically?

21:32 How much pain are you are okay with patients experiencing with their exercises?

25:00 How often do you suggest people do quick loading during rehab?

26:05 What outcome measures do you use clinically?

27:23 Are there general time frames for recovery?

28:39 Why is there more research with tendons in lower extremity vs. upper extremity?

29:40 Are the major principles of treating tendon injuries the same across different tendons?

31:38 What are your thoughts on bracing for tendon injury

32:46 Do you think that virtual reality can have any use in tendon rehab?

36:11 What is still unknown in the treatment of tendinopathies? Do you think these unknowns can all be answered?

38:15 Where can people find out more about you?