After approximately 6 weeks, the modeling stage commences.
During this stage, the healing tissue is resized and
reshaped. A corresponding decrease in cellularity, collagen
and glycosaminoglycan synthesis occurs. The modeling phase
can be divided into a consolidation and maturation stage88.
The consolidation stage commences at about 6 weeks and
continues up to 10 weeks. In this period, the repair tissue
changes from cellular to fibrous. Tenocyte metabolism
remains high during this period, and tenocytes and collagen
fibres become aligned in the direction of stress. A higher
proportion of type I collagen is synthesized during this
stage90.
After 10 weeks, the maturation stage occurs, with
gradual change of fibrous tissue to scar-like tendon tissue
over the course of one year . During the latter half of this
stage, tenocyte metabolism and tendon vascularity decline