Ever feel like you’re stuck in a never-ending loop of rest, feel better, return to activity… and then the pain returns?
That’s exactly what happened to Steven — one of my clients and an avid golfer. He couldn’t seem to get past his “tennis elbow” or elbow tendonitis.
Steven plays golf weekly, stays in great shape, and was even attending physical therapy elsewhere before coming to see me. He did everything: massage, Advil, rest, dry needling, and rehab exercises. But it still wouldn’t go away. Why?
Here’s the truth: Most of what people call tendonitis isn’t actually inflammation at all. Instead, it’s something called tendinosis — a chronic degenerative condition within the tendon fibers themselves. Rather than being hot, swollen, and inflamed (as true “-itis” would suggest), the tendon begins to break down from years of repetitive stress, overload, or poor movement patterns.
So how do we actually fix it?
The answer isn’t shutting things down — it’s targeted, progressive loading.
- Gradually exposing the tendon to controlled stress (eccentrics, isometrics, and progressive loading).
- Correcting movement patterns, strength deficits, and mobility limitations that contribute to the problem.
- Providing the tendon with the proper stimulus to heal and remodel — and often, that stimulus is HEAVY LOAD applied in a focused, systematic way.
I know that sounds counter-intuitive — especially when something hurts. But the reality is: Tendons respond to the stresses placed upon them. In order for them to adapt, heal, and become resilient to the demands of daily life and hobbies, they have to be appropriately loaded.
That’s exactly what we did with Steven.
Today? He’s back to lifting, playing golf, and hasn’t thought about his elbow in months. Not because we “shut it down” — but because we built it back stronger, and we can do the same for you.