Galway Bay fm newsroom - Researchers at CÚRAM at NUI Galway have discovered a way to significantly improve tendon healing.
The conventional healing process of tendons is slow due to their nature and can take many weeks or months.
The research investigated if electrical therapy, coupled with exercise, would show promise in treating tendon disease or ruptures.
And the answer is - yes it can.
Their work showed that the simple act of walking can power an implantable stimulator device that speeds up treatment of musculoskeletal diseases, without the use of drugs of external stimulation.
The implantable device uses a fabric like mesh that produces electricity when under pressure, and is made using nano-fibres that are one-thousandth the thickness of a human hair.
Researchers say these devices could be tailored to individual patients or disorders, and show promise in accelerating the repair of sport-related tendon injuries, particularly in athletes.
The results have been published in the prestigious journal, 'Advanced Materials'.
