The Achilles tendon: aspects related to adaptation and rehabilitation

The Achilles tendon is the strongest tendon in the human body, yet it is injured if loaded too heavily, or too frequently. Like other tendons, the Achilles tendon gets stronger when regularly loaded over time. This may occur because loading forces the fluid within the tendon to flow to the outside, causing a greater load on tendon cells. As a result, the cells get activated and produce collagen and other protein molecules. The aim of this thesis was to investigate if fluid flow could be maximized with a specific loading intervention. Maximal fluid flow may drive the tendon toward optimal adaptation, that is, making it stronger and more resistant to injury.