The 5 Most Important Things You Can Do to Recover from a Tendinopathy

Tendinopathy. Bit of a mouthful, right? But if you’ve dealt with that stubborn, nagging tendon pain—maybe in your shoulder, elbow, knee, or Achilles—you know exactly what I’m talking about. It’s that dull ache that kicks up when you use the area too much, but weirdly it sometimes doesn’t quite settle on its own either.

The good news is, most tendinopathies do get better. The trick? You’ve got to work with your body, not against it. So here are five super practical things you can start doing today that will actually help you recover.

1. Let the tendon settle first – stop poking the bear 🐻

This is the big one, and it’s often overlooked. If something hurts every time you do it—stop doing it for now. You don’t need to rest forever (in fact, you shouldn’t), but you do need to give that tendon a break from the stuff that’s clearly flaring it up.

This might mean:

  • Swapping running for cycling or swimming for a while

  • Changing how you lift at the gym (or skipping that one movement that spikes the pain)

  • Modifying your work or daily tasks if they’re aggravating things

Bottom line: let things calm down before you try to fix everything at once. You’re not quitting—you’re just taking your foot off the gas temporarily.

2. Strengthen the parts that aren’t pulling their weight

Tendons don’t usually break down in isolation. Often, they’re working overtime because something else isn’t doing its job. Maybe your hamstrings that aren’t helping out, or your triceps went on a trip to Bali. That means the tendon of the overloaded muscle cops the extra load—and eventually complains.

This is where a good rehab plan comes in. Work with someone who can assess where you’re overworking and underworking. Then, start strengthening the support crew around the sore spot.

Not sure where to start? A few safe bets:

  • Smith machine calf raises, foam roller bridges, or leg extensions for lower body issues

  • High plank holds, tricep wall isometrics, or rowing type exercises for upper body stuff

One big point to nail home with strength work is slow your reps down or do isometric holds. Tendons love slow & heavy loading. They adapt amazingly to these slower loads, if you go crazy and smash through your reps fast the tendon doesn't have time to experience the required strain to adapt and heal. 

3. Don’t ramp up your gym or daily loads too fast

We’re all guilty of this one. You start feeling a bit better and boom—you go straight back to your regular workouts, full tilt. Next thing you know, that pain’s back like it never left.

Tendons love consistent, gradual loading. They hate surprises.

If you’ve had time off or modified things, ease back in. Here's a quick generalised guide:

  • Increase weight or intensity by no more than 10% per week

  • Avoid going from “zero to hero” in one session

  • If the pain is more than mild the during, after or the next day (like a 4/10 or more), that was probably too much

It’s not about being soft. It’s about being smart. Build up slowly and you’ll go further in the long run.

4. Sleep like it’s your job

Here’s one people often overlook: your body recovers when you sleep. If you’re burning the candle at both ends, glued to your phone at midnight, and surviving on 5 hours of shut-eye, you’re not giving your body a chance to actually recover.

Aim for:

  • 7–9 hours of sleep each night

  • A regular bedtime and wake-up time

  • Winding down properly—screens off, lights dim, maybe a bit of stretching or reading before bed

It might sound simple, but seriously, this makes a massive difference to how fast you bounce back.

5. Eat well, drink water, and don’t overcomplicate it

Good food = good fuel. If you want tissues like tendons to rebuild and repair, you’ve got to give them the right building blocks.

That means:

  • Protein with most meals—chicken, eggs, tofu, Greek yoghurt, whatever you like

  • Plenty of colourful veggies and fruits for antioxidants and vitamins

  • Staying hydrated—your tissues (including tendons) need water to function and recover properly

Also, cut back on the ultra-processed junk if you’re smashing it every day. No need to be perfect—but if your recovery’s stalling, what you eat could be part of the picture.

Final thoughts

Recovering from tendinopathy doesn’t have to be rocket science. You don’t need 12 apps, a spreadsheet, and a full-time coach. But you do need to treat your body like a teammate, not a punching bag.

To recap:

  • Let the pain settle (where possible)

  • Strengthen the area with slow & heavy loading

  • Don’t rush your loading

  • Sleep like you mean it

  • Eat well and stay hydrated

Get these five things right, and you’ll be miles ahead. Not just with your tendon, but with how your whole body feels and performs.

Got a tendon playing up and not sure where to start? Come in for a chat—we’ll figure it out together.