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A Passive Ankle Dorsiflexion Testing System for an In Vivo Model of Overuse-induced Tendinopathy

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Aged Tendons Have Impaired Mechanosensitivity and Lower Thresholds for Injury under Dynamic Compression.

Samuel J Mlawer¹, Brianne K Connizzo¹

¹Department of Biomedical Engineering, Boston University, Boston, MA, 02215, United States.

Biorxiv : the Preprint Server for Biology

|May 7, 2026

Summary

This summary is machine-generated.

Aging tendons respond poorly to compression, unlike younger ones. This maladaptive response in aged tendons may explain age-related rotator cuff tendinopathy and degeneration.

Keywords:

Aging Compressive Loading ECM Remodeling Tendon

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Area of Science:

Biomedical Engineering
Musculoskeletal Biology
Mechanobiology

Background:

Rotator cuff tendinopathy is common in older adults, but the reasons for age-related tendon degeneration are unclear.
Tendons experience compression at specific sites, potentially contributing to degenerative changes.

Purpose of the Study:

To examine age-specific differences in how tendons respond to dynamic compressive loading.
To investigate the molecular and structural changes in young versus aged tendons under compression.

Main Methods:

Used an ex vivo model with murine flexor tendon explants from young and aged mice.
Tendon explants were cultured in a biaxial bioreactor and subjected to varying levels of dynamic compression.
Assessed metabolic activity, matrix composition, biosynthesis, structure, and gene expression.

Main Results:

Young tendons adapted well to moderate compression, increasing matrix components and remodeling genes.
High compression in young tendons triggered adaptive responses, including matrix synthesis and gene upregulation.
Aged tendons showed maladaptive responses even at low compression, downregulating remodeling markers and increasing inflammatory/degrading enzymes.

Conclusions:

Aged tendons exhibit impaired mechanosensitivity and a reduced threshold for injury under compression.
These age-related changes predispose tendons to degenerative pathology from chronic compressive loading.
Findings highlight the critical role of mechanical loading in age-dependent tendon degeneration.