Training tendons: What really matters for performance and rehabilitation with Seth O’Neill

This week’s guest on the Pacey Performance Podcast is Seth O’Neill. He’s an Associate Professor in Physiotherapy at the University of Leicester. He has a PhD on tendinopathy and in this episode its all about the tendons, how we train them, how we reduce the chances of injury and how we rehabilitate them.

Seth tells us about the role of the tendon function and how it can adapt to dynamic movements. This includes the importance of tendon structure – and why this subject has been dividing opinion. Seth moves onto what causes changes to tendon structure, including ageing and how this can be mitigated for. There’s also some insight into muscle stiffness versus tendon stiffness, and how both affect performance.

Seth also discusses isometric training, including what does and doesn’t work for him in order to get the best performance benefits. He also talks about how isometrics can be the gateway to rehabilitation and how pain comes into the equation. He goes into specifics too, about patellar tendons, the Achilles tendon, and on to calf training and monitoring. This includes why calf injuries are now more common, and why hamstring injuries have plateaued in recent times. Finally, Seth tells us how to gain performance benefits through calf training. For all this insight and much more, hit the play button now.

This week’s topics:

• The main question sports clubs ask Seth regarding physiotherapy
• The role of the tendon function and adapting to dynamic movements
• The importance of tendon structure
• What causes changes to tendon structure
• How much can age affect tendon structure
• Muscle stiffness versus tendon stiffness
• What does and doesn’t work in isometric training
• How isometric training can be best used to get performance benefits
• How isometrics can be the gateway to rehabilitation
• Patellar tendon and Achilles rehabilitation
• Calf training and monitoring
• Why calf injuries are now more common, and hamstring injuries have plateaued
• Gaining performance benefits through calf training