American Medical Society for Sports Medicine
For Immediate Release Apr 24, 2008

OVERLAND PARK, KANSAS:  During the Rendezvous II meeting held in Las Vegas March 25-29, Dr. Arnoczky summarized his research findings on the causes of tendonitis.

Dr. Arnoczky, a veterinarian by training who now devotes his time entirely to research, presented "The Etiopathogenesis of Tendinopathy: Is It the Over Stimulation of Under Stimulation of the Tendon Cells?”

Sports medicine specialists no longer consider tendonitis to always be caused by inflammation; and they now use the term "tendinopathy" to reflect that understanding.

Dr. Arnoczky's researches the means by which tendons MAY get damaged during normal repetitive activities and then develop "overuse injuries". He theorizes that individual fibers within a tendon can get damaged during a single episode which a person may not be aware of at the time and not have any pain. Poor technique or fatigue could predispose an individual to such an episode during repetitive activities such as running, jumping, or throwing. These injured tendon fibrils then prevent cells in the area from being exposed to the normally beneficial results of exercise. This lack of stimulus to the cells causes them to break down the tendon further, making the entire tendon more vulnerable to additional damage from continue use.

Dr Arnoczky works in the Laboratory for Comparative Orthopaedic Research at Michigan State University, where he continues to investigate more about the specifics of these injuries and hopes to uncover methods to treat them.

The American Medical Society for Sports Medicine (AMSSM) was organized in 1991 by physicians who recognized the need for an organization within the field of sports medicine that approached athletes, exercising individuals and teams comprehensively with consultative and continuous care of their orthopedic, medical, nutritional and psychosocial issues. Although sports medicine concepts are often thought of in conjunction with professional and elite athletes, these concepts apply to athletes of all levels including grade school, high school, college and recreational athletes. AMSSM is comprised of over 1000 Sports Medicine Physicians whose goal is to provide a link between the rapidly expanding core of knowledge related to sports medicine and its application to patients in a clinical setting.

NOTE: For more information, please contact the AMSSM, 11639 Earnshaw, Overland Park, KS 66210, (913) 327-1415.