Get: Tendonitis

Have you ever wondered what is it that causes tendonitis and “do I have it?”
What is Tendonitis?

Tendonitis (also called tendinitis) is an inflammation or irritation of a tendon, a thick cord that attaches bone to muscle.
The most common tendon areas that become inflamed are the elbow, wrist, biceps, shoulder (including rotator cuff attachments), leg, knee (patellar), ankle, hip, and Achilles. Of course, tendonitis will vary with each person, as it strikes the areas you use most.

Treatment of tendon injuries is largely palliative. Acupuncture is an alternative treatment that can be used to reduce pain and heal injured tendon more quickly.

Increased water content and disorganized collagen matrix in tendon lesions may be detected by ultrasonography or magnetic resonance imaging.

Causes

Overuse:

Overuse injuries to tendons essentially demand too much from a tendon without allowing the tendon time to repair itself. Certain areas of tendons have a poor blood supply, and, not surprisingly, these areas of the tendon are most prone to injury. When tendons are used excessively, the body needs to be able to repair these tendons. When the tendons are used excessively, the amount of damage may overtake the body’s ability to repair itself.

There are many activities that can cause tendonitis, including:
Gardening
Raking
Carpentry
Cleaning house
Shoveling
Painting
Scrubbing
Tennis
Golf
Skiing
Throwing and pitching

Trauma:
Tendons can also become inflamed after a traumatic injury. In this situation, a single event may cause an inflammatory reaction within a tendon. If the inflammation is significant, the tendon may remain inflamed, and the acute injury can turn into a chronic tendonitis.

As with overuse tendonitis, if a traumatic injury is not allowed time to repair the damage and inflammation, a chronic condition can result. That is why rest is an important part of the treatment of tendonitis.

Once the problem has been properly diagnosed as tendonitis, treatment of the condition can begin. It is important to have this evaluated by your doctor to ensure you have the correct diagnosis before initiating a treatment.

Who Gets Tendonitis?

Anyone can get tendonitis, but it is more common in adults, especially those over 40 years of age. As tendons age they tolerate less stress, are less elastic, and are easier to tear.

Symptoms

The tendonitis symptoms you experience may vary slightly depending on where in the body the inflammation has occurred.

Tendonitis commonly causes pain or a dull aching sensation around the affected tendon, especially when that part of the body is in use. The area may also feel tender to the touch and may be swollen, depending on how serious the injury is.

Self Help Tips

It is always important to thoroughly stretch all of the muscles in the body to warm up before you engage in any type of physical activity.
Don’t forget to stretch after you’re done exercising.
Avoid participating in only one type of activity– for example, if you lift weights one day, try going for a swim the next to take the pressure off of your joints.
It is vital you talk to a doctor if you believe there is just a chance you have tendonitis, the sooner you diagnose the problem, the quicker you can heal it.