Tendinopathy – a disease of tendons

Tendinopathy is a common pathology of tendons and a complex medical problem. The etiology of tendinopathy is multifactorial and based on three main theories. Tendons play various roles in the human body, and their structure guarantees specific biomechanical properties. Continuous remodeling of extra-cellular matrix provides maintenance of the adequate inner composition. Damage to the structure entails disruption of homeostasis and leads to the degenerative process because of poor tendon’s healing properties. The degenerative process usually passes into a chronic tendon disorder. Chronic tendinopathy is difficult to manage; it is often an underestimated and painful problem of the general population. In this paper, we described current views on terminology, etiology and pathology of tendinopathy, focusing on the neovascularization process and its consequences.