Keith Baar's Tendon Protocol: What's Actually Tested

Two years ago I hurt my quad tendon and couldn't get past it. This is what I found when I went looking for answers, what I've been doing, and what the research actually supports (which turned out to be less than I hoped.) If you're stuck in the back-off, rehab, return, re-aggravate cycle, this one's for you. References are listed below. ⚠️ Not medical advice. I'm not a physio. Get assessed by one. CHAPTERS 00:00 Intro 00:20 The Injury Story Begins 00:46 Setting Up the Perfect Storm 04:33 Discovering Keith Baar's Research 05:11 How Isometrics Work 07:25 The Isometric Protocol Explained 09:49 My Own Results So Far 12:30 What's Actually Been Tested 14:53 The Deeper Hole in the Evidence 16:47 What I'd Tell Myself 17:44 Final Thoughts & Outro Quick summary for you: Progressive load, kept up for months, without tipping back into aggravation. That's the variable every protocol that works shares. Isometrics may just be the safest way to deliver it if you're someone who overshoots, which was and remains my real struggle. References. Comment if you're looking for additional research! Baar K. Stress Relaxation and Targeted Nutrition to Treat Patellar Tendinopathy. Int J Sport Nutr Exerc Metab. 2019;29(4):453-457. Rio E, et al. Isometric exercise induces analgesia and reduces inhibition in patellar tendinopathy. Br J Sports Med. 2015;49(19):1277-1283. Van Ark M, et al. Do isometric and isotonic exercise programs reduce pain in athletes with patellar tendinopathy in-season? J Sci Med Sport. 2016;19(9):702-706. Clifford C, et al. Effectiveness of isometric exercise in the management of tendinopathy: a systematic review and meta-analysis. BMJ Open Sport Exerc Med. 2020;6(1):e000760. Vaan der Vlist AC, et al. Isometric exercises do not provide immediate pain relief in Achilles tendinopathy: a quasi-randomized clinical trial. Scand J Med Sci Sports. 2020;30(9):1712-1721. Agergaard AS, et al. Clinical outcomes, structure, and function improve with both heavy and moderate loads in the treatment of patellar tendinopathy. Am J Sports Med. 2021;49(4):982-993. Breda SJ, et al. Effectiveness of progressive tendon-loading exercise therapy in patients with patellar tendinopathy: a randomised clinical trial. Br J Sports Med. 2021;55(9):501-509. Deng J, et al. Do physical or imaging changes explain the effectiveness of progressive tendon loading exercises? A causal mediation analysis. J Sci Med Sport. 2025;28(6):458-464. Deng J, et al. Prognostic value of conventional ultrasound and MRI features for clinical outcomes in athletes with patellar tendinopathy after exercise therapy. Sports Health. 2026. More of me: Substack (Newsletter & Writings): substack.com/@andysfieldnotes Instagram: instagram.com/andysfieldnotes Website: andybains.com