Tendon & Ligament Injury Facts

Prevalence

Musculoskeletal injury impacts 50% of people 18 and older and 75% of people over 65. Tendon/ligament injuries (e.g. tennis elbow, golfer's elbow, rotator cuff, Achilles, ACL/MCL tears) make up more than 30% of these injuries.

The Impact

Tendon/ligament injuries prevent people from working or exercising and are the most common cause for athletes taking extended breaks.

Rapid and complete recovery presents the biggest challenge to returning to pre-injury form — often ending careers (both in sports and physically demanding professional trades).

Current Interventions & Recovery

Surgical repairs offer the fastest remedy but the highest complication rate based on the fibrovascular scar tissue formed rather than natural/normal tendon.

Non-operative approaches (rest, PT, etc.) provide the repair with the least complications but significantly longer recovery times.

The Challenges

Torn and sprained tendons heal through the formation of disorganized collagen fibers resulting in less strength and high re-tear rates.

Current therapeutic strategies do not produce natural tendon/ligament growth and repair but rather they rely on/induce disorganized scarring.

Quality of Life Costs

Strong joints and freedom of movement are critical to:

successful employment in physically demanding professional trades
remaining physically active to sustain overall health, especially in the elderly
pursuing athletic goals in the amateur and professional arena

Economic Impact

Loss of strength, stability, mobility, or repeated re-tearing significantly impacts:

ability to return to physical professions and earn a living
sporting performance and potential to transition into professional sports
diminished contribution to professional team performance reducing personal and franchise income

The Science of Tendons & Ligaments

Collagen

Healthy Tendons and Ligaments

Collagen accounts for 30% of your body’s protein. It provides structure, support, or strength to your skin, muscles, bones, and connective tissues (tendons and ligaments).

There are two core collagen-based fibrous connective tissues of interest:

Tendons connect muscle to bone.

Ligaments connect bone to bone.

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Healthy Tendons and Ligaments

Healthy tendons and ligaments are a complex arrangement of collagen fibers with sparse tendon cells throughout. These cells are responsible for intense procollagen production during initial tendon formation as well as tendon strengthening during weight bearing exercise.

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