What is eccentric exercise?
An eccentric movement is one where the muscle works while it lengthens. Slowly lowering yourself off tiptoe, or sitting down into a chair under control, are both eccentric.
The opposite, lifting up, is called concentric. Most real life uses both, but tendon plans stress the slow lowering part.
Why does it matter for a patient?
Tendons that are overloaded and sore tend to improve when they are loaded gradually. Slow lowering is one way to load them in a controlled, measurable way.
It is used for the Achilles tendon at the back of the heel, the kneecap tendon and some elbow tendons. Your physiotherapist sets the number of repeats and the pattern across the week, because too much too soon flares the pain.
An everyday example in Ipoh
A man who hikes at Bukit Kledang gets a sore Achilles tendon on the way down the hill. His physiotherapist asks him to stand on the edge of a step at home, rise on both feet, then lower slowly on the sore side.
He does it at the bottom of his own stairs, with a hand on the rail, and notes any change in the tendon the next morning.
Related terms
- Tendinopathy: a tendon that hurts under load.
- Isometric exercise: holding still against resistance, used first when pain is high.
- Shockwave therapy: a device sometimes used alongside loading.
Where it fits in our care
Loading plans like this are central in Achilles tendon pain and patellar tendinopathy. We set the step height, speed and number of repeats at home with what you have.