The musculotendinous interface: insights into development, injury, and recovery for military medical applications
Musculoskeletal injuries (MSKIs) are a major cause of morbidity and lost duty time for military service members, impacting overall military readiness, with overuse injuries being particularly prevalent among them. Musculotendinous injuries, affecting the musculotendinous unit, are especially problem...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Frontiers Media S.A.
2025-05-01
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| Series: | Frontiers in Physiology |
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| Online Access: | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fphys.2025.1555199/full |
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| author | Alex T. Adams Alex T. Adams Zachary G. Davis Zachary G. Davis Kyle F. Browder Kyle F. Browder Christopher L. Dearth Christopher L. Dearth Stephen M. Goldman Stephen M. Goldman |
| author_facet | Alex T. Adams Alex T. Adams Zachary G. Davis Zachary G. Davis Kyle F. Browder Kyle F. Browder Christopher L. Dearth Christopher L. Dearth Stephen M. Goldman Stephen M. Goldman |
| author_sort | Alex T. Adams |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Musculoskeletal injuries (MSKIs) are a major cause of morbidity and lost duty time for military service members, impacting overall military readiness, with overuse injuries being particularly prevalent among them. Musculotendinous injuries, affecting the musculotendinous unit, are especially problematic due to their long recovery times and limited treatment options. To better understand these injuries, this review delves into the developmental, homeostatic, and structural biology of musculotendinous units, with a focus on the musculotendinous junction (MTJ). Additionally, it explores the biomechanical model of the musculotendinous unit and the complexities of endogenous repair processes for muscle, tendon, and MTJ injuries. Based on these insights, the review discusses promising therapeutic approaches for treating these injuries, such as anabolic agents, metabolic reprogramming, scaffold or cell-based therapies, and physical therapy. These emerging therapies offer potential avenues for accelerating endogenous healing, reducing recovery time, and improving long-term outcomes for musculotendinous injuries. Ultimately, further research in this area could significantly enhance military readiness by mitigating the impact of MSKIs on service members. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-9e5d8bedd6794fe58cd17590d34cbb54 |
| institution | DOAJ |
| issn | 1664-042X |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-05-01 |
| publisher | Frontiers Media S.A. |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Frontiers in Physiology |
| spelling | doaj-art-9e5d8bedd6794fe58cd17590d34cbb542025-08-20T03:11:03ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Physiology1664-042X2025-05-011610.3389/fphys.2025.15551991555199The musculotendinous interface: insights into development, injury, and recovery for military medical applicationsAlex T. Adams0Alex T. Adams1Zachary G. Davis2Zachary G. Davis3Kyle F. Browder4Kyle F. Browder5Christopher L. Dearth6Christopher L. Dearth7Stephen M. Goldman8Stephen M. Goldman9Extremity Trauma and Amputation Center of Excellence, Defense Health Agency, Falls Church, VA, United StatesDepartment of Surgery, Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, Bethesda, MD, United StatesExtremity Trauma and Amputation Center of Excellence, Defense Health Agency, Falls Church, VA, United StatesDepartment of Surgery, Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, Bethesda, MD, United StatesExtremity Trauma and Amputation Center of Excellence, Defense Health Agency, Falls Church, VA, United StatesDepartment of Surgery, Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, Bethesda, MD, United StatesExtremity Trauma and Amputation Center of Excellence, Defense Health Agency, Falls Church, VA, United StatesDepartment of Surgery, Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, Bethesda, MD, United StatesExtremity Trauma and Amputation Center of Excellence, Defense Health Agency, Falls Church, VA, United StatesDepartment of Surgery, Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, Bethesda, MD, United StatesMusculoskeletal injuries (MSKIs) are a major cause of morbidity and lost duty time for military service members, impacting overall military readiness, with overuse injuries being particularly prevalent among them. Musculotendinous injuries, affecting the musculotendinous unit, are especially problematic due to their long recovery times and limited treatment options. To better understand these injuries, this review delves into the developmental, homeostatic, and structural biology of musculotendinous units, with a focus on the musculotendinous junction (MTJ). Additionally, it explores the biomechanical model of the musculotendinous unit and the complexities of endogenous repair processes for muscle, tendon, and MTJ injuries. Based on these insights, the review discusses promising therapeutic approaches for treating these injuries, such as anabolic agents, metabolic reprogramming, scaffold or cell-based therapies, and physical therapy. These emerging therapies offer potential avenues for accelerating endogenous healing, reducing recovery time, and improving long-term outcomes for musculotendinous injuries. Ultimately, further research in this area could significantly enhance military readiness by mitigating the impact of MSKIs on service members.https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fphys.2025.1555199/fullcumulative trauma disordersmilitary personneltendon injurieswound healingbiomechanics |
| spellingShingle | Alex T. Adams Alex T. Adams Zachary G. Davis Zachary G. Davis Kyle F. Browder Kyle F. Browder Christopher L. Dearth Christopher L. Dearth Stephen M. Goldman Stephen M. Goldman The musculotendinous interface: insights into development, injury, and recovery for military medical applications Frontiers in Physiology cumulative trauma disorders military personnel tendon injuries wound healing biomechanics |
| title | The musculotendinous interface: insights into development, injury, and recovery for military medical applications |
| title_full | The musculotendinous interface: insights into development, injury, and recovery for military medical applications |
| title_fullStr | The musculotendinous interface: insights into development, injury, and recovery for military medical applications |
| title_full_unstemmed | The musculotendinous interface: insights into development, injury, and recovery for military medical applications |
| title_short | The musculotendinous interface: insights into development, injury, and recovery for military medical applications |
| title_sort | musculotendinous interface insights into development injury and recovery for military medical applications |
| topic | cumulative trauma disorders military personnel tendon injuries wound healing biomechanics |
| url | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fphys.2025.1555199/full |
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