Based on you guys’ clinical experience, how long does it take for tendinopathies to heal? Interested in golfer’s elbow, tennis elbow, and medial glute tendinopathy specifically.
I know there isn’t a precise answer, but is there a range of time you guys have observed in your clinical practice?
Thanks.
Hey - admittedly this is a difficult question to answer without more individual information. Generally speaking I expect folks to see improvement in symptoms and function in 2 - 3 months. Check out our guide to tendinopathy for further insight.
Thank you for the reply. That lines up with my experience working with Dr. Amato. I still have a little ways to go before I’m symptom free, but I’m back to lifting at moderate intensities.
Follow up question: What is your opinion on rehabbing tendinopathies in a calorie deficit? Does it slow or stop healing? How much does it slow down progress, if at all? How much of a calorie deficit would you recommend? Does eating in a surplus speed up recovery?
I’m eating at maintenance right now, but I’m obese and want to lose weight–but not if it slows down my recovery.
I have no reason to believe caloric restriction/surplus negatively/positively effects outcomes in these scenarios. Healing is a tricky question depending on how one chooses to define this variable. If we are talking tendon changes on imaging, then this would not be a concern of mine. If we are defining healing as improved symptoms and function, still wouldn’t be a concern of mine. Albeit, folks aren’t usually thrilled to be in a caloric deficit long term but more or less do so for gaol acquisition. I wouldn’t consider this a relevant variable beyond are you adequately taking in nutrition for your body composition and activity goals but wouldn’t relate it tendinopathy. Hope that helps.