{"type":"rich","version":"1.0","provider_name":"Transistor","provider_url":"https://transistor.fm","author_name":"Overcoming Proximal Hamstring Tendinopathy","title":"The Hidden Psychological Factors Behind Persistent Tendon Pain with Jack Mest","html":"","width":"100%","height":180,"duration":2094,"description":"Tendon pain is often treated as a purely physical problem. Strengthen the tendon, adjust the load, and eventually things should improve.\nBut what happens when the pain persists for months… or even years?\nIn this episode, Brodie speaks with physiotherapist and PhD researcher Jack Mest about a recent systematic review and meta-analysis exploring the psychological profile of people with persistent tendinopathy. The research compared people with chronic tendon pain to healthy controls and uncovered something surprising: fear of movement wasn’t the main psychological factor.\nInstead, the research found that pain catastrophizing — a negative outlook toward pain and recovery — appeared more common in people with persistent tendinopathy.\nThis episode explores how psychological factors may influence tendon pain, why lower limb injuries may carry a greater psychological burden, and why clinicians need to treat the person behind the injury — not just the tendon itself.\nIf you’re a runner struggling with Achilles pain, plantar fasciopathy, proximal hamstring tendinopathy, or another persistent tendon injury, this conversation will help you understand why recovery can feel so frustrating — and what might help.\n\nIn This Episode\nBrodie and Jack discuss:\nWhy tendinopathy often becomes a chronic condition\nWhat the biopsychosocial model means for tendon rehab\nThe difference between kinesiophobia (fear of movement) and pain catastrophizing\nWhy catastrophizing appears more common in persistent tendon pain\nWhy lower limb tendinopathies may have greater psychological impact than upper limb injuries\nThe role of beliefs, expectations, and past experiences in shaping pain\nWhy clinicians should ask about patients’ thoughts and fears about their injury\nWhether psychological traits are pre-existing or develop after chronic pain begins\nPractical advice for runners dealing with long-term tendon pain\nAbout the Guest\nJack Mest is a physiotherapist and PhD researcher whose work focuses on...","thumbnail_url":"https://img.transistorcdn.com/U9QHyZiuMTAQbAt-L5NPn321w0Wzs7Udil1bb-3dkWM/rs:fill:0:0:1/w:400/h:400/q:60/mb:500000/aHR0cHM6Ly9pbWct/dXBsb2FkLXByb2R1/Y3Rpb24udHJhbnNp/c3Rvci5mbS9zaG93/LzM5ODgxLzE2ODEw/MjE0MzEtYXJ0d29y/ay5qcGc.webp","thumbnail_width":300,"thumbnail_height":300}