Move the Needle: The Human Performance Podcast Trent Salo: Responding to Tendon Dysfunction
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Feb 25, 2026 Trent Salo, founder of The Tendon Lab and former NBA Senior Director now PhD researcher of lower-limb tendons. He explores tendon pain mechanisms, when and how to test and load tendons, and practical clinic vs team strategies. Short trials, multi-angle loading, and distinguishing stiffness, swelling, and function come up as central themes.
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Decide First What To Change Then Load
- Identify whether you need to reduce symptoms, increase stiffness, or change structure before prescribing loading.
- Use targeted warm-ups or manual therapy to reduce pain and specific heavy loading (isometrics/HSR) to increase stiffness when needed.
Different Tendons Need Different Contextual Loading
- Tendons respond to strain, but differ by function: energy‑storage tendons (Achilles, patellar) need elastic loading; positional tendons prioritize stability.
- Training must consider anatomy, pathology location, and task‑specific positions.
Pick Isometric Duration Based On Purpose
- Use both short high‑intensity isometrics (3–5s at high intent) to stiffen and longer isometrics (e.g., 45s) for pain modulation or motor control, but choose based on the adaptation sought.
- Be explicit about why you pick a duration: stiffness versus acute pain relief.