Tendinitis
Tendinitis is a relatively common condition that happens to people of all ages and from all walks of life. While tendinitis can be painful, debilitating, and uncomfortable, it’s easily treatable with massage therapy and rests.
Do you live in Port Moody or Coquitlam, and you’re not quite sure if you’ve got tendinitis? Read on for a guide to how this common condition happens, what it feels like, and how massage therapy for tendinitis can quickly promote recovery and alleviate its painful symptoms.
What are Tendons?
Tendons are robust chords of tissue that connect muscles to bones. They’re made of strong, collagen-rich material, and that makes them incredibly hardy against tearing. However, it also means they’re not as flexible or as stretchy as ligaments, so they’re prone to irritation and inflammation.
What’s the difference between a ligament and a tendon?
Ligaments tend to have far more elasticity than tendons, and they both do a radically different job. Tendons are there to connect muscles to bones, whereas ligaments stabilize joints, keeping them in place.
How does tendinitis happen?
Irritated or inflamed tendons are known as tendinitis, and it can be surprisingly painful to experience the condition. Tendinitis usually happens when we overuse or repeatedly use a particular part of our body. It’s more likely to occur if we perform an action incorrectly again and again, and athletes, physical workers, and even musicians can develop bad habits that result in the condition.
Tendinitis most commonly occurs in the knees, shoulders, elbows, wrists, or heels – but it can happen with any tendon in the body. You’ll likely have trouble using a limb when a joint is affected. Because tendinitis often happens after repetitive use of a specific body part, it tends to get called many things in everyday life, usually connected to an activity, occupation, or sport.
Some of the common names for Tendinitis include:
- Tennis elbow
- Gardener’s shoulder
- Rower’s shoulder
- Golfer’s elbow
What are the symptoms of Tendinitis?
When you’re suffering from tendinitis, you’ll almost invariably feel a dull pain in the affected area that worsens with activity. You’ll experience local tenderness, and the affected limb or joint might also be painful to the touch.
Many sufferers of tendinitis also have stiffness which makes it challenging to move the affected joint, and the area can become visibly inflamed or swollen.
What can I do at home to improve tendinitis?
If you experience tendinitis symptoms, it’s essential to cease using the affected body part immediately and to reduce inflammation by applying ice. It’ll help if you can raise the affected area. When the injury first happens, it’s a good idea to apply ice for twenty minutes at a time up to four times that day. You can continue to apply ice for a couple of days after the injury.
- Rest, and do your best to avoid moving the affected tendon for two or three days.
- Provide support by wrapping an elastic bandage around the painful area, or you can use a soft brace.
- Don’t forget to remove your brace or bandage when you go to bed and ensure it’s a snug fit – not overly tight.
How can I help prevent tendinitis?
Repetitive motion, incorrect motion, and even age or previous injuries can all bring on tendinitis, but it’s never too late to change your habits. Tendinitis is more likely to occur if you’re unfit, overweight, or both. You can protect yourself against the condition by improving your general health, rethinking repetitive tasks, and being aware of the condition:
- Undertake regular, low-impact exercise to improve muscle tone. Remember to warm up first.
- If you think you developed tendinitis at work, for instance, try to vary your movements and take regular breaks. If you’re experiencing pain, use ice while you rest.
Tendinitis: What’s the prognosis?
If you get timely treatment for tendinitis, it’ll typically clear up relatively quickly, and with good management, many people make a full recovery. For some, however, tendinitis can be a chronic condition that requires regular treatment.
Port Moody Active Rehab for Tendinitis
Tendinitis is a condition that requires timely treatment and massage therapy for tendinitis promotes recovery while lessening symptoms and pain. Trigger point release therapy is performed by registered massage therapists and involves working on nodules that form within muscles over time or due to trauma.
Often combined with other massage therapy techniques, such as myofascial release, trigger point therapy for tendinitis works to reduce muscle spasms, aid circulation, and release the trigger points or knots themselves.
Need An Appointment?
Inspine Therapy is a multi-disciplinary clinic located in the heart of Coquitlam and Port Moody. We care about providing fundamental healing through all-in-one care that focuses on helping you recover, improve, and optimize your health until you’re in the best condition possible.
Our services include massage therapy, chiropractic therapy, acupuncture, active rehab, clinical counselling, and pilates. Visit our newly renovated clinic and book your appointment today!
