The condition often gets better with rest, but treatment may be needed if the pain persists. The best treatment will depend on which tendon is affected. Tendonitis often only lasts a few days, but can last for longer. If you have a sore tendon, it's important to rest it.
Treatment requires intentional rest and non-use of the tendon. The good news is that the tendon will heal naturally, meaning invasive procedures are unnecessary. Physical therapy and rest could be enough to heal the affected area.
It could take between two to three weeks for your tendon to heal after tendonitis treatment. It can take a few months if you have a severe case of tendonitis. The best way to speed up your healing time is to rest. Don't participate in strenuous exercises or activities that can put stress on your healing tendon.
Rest: try to avoid moving the tendon for 2 to 3 days. Ice: put an ice pack (or try a bag of frozen peas) wrapped in a tea towel on the tendon for up to 20 minutes every 2 to 3 hours. Support: wrap an elastic bandage around the area, use a tube bandage, or use a soft brace. You can buy these from pharmacies.
Treating tendonitis
See your healthcare provider if you think you have tendonitis. Your provider may recommend the classic RICE treatment for pain relief: Rest the joint. Apply ice packs. Compress the area with an elastic bandage to ease soreness and inflammation.
Just as you shouldn't rest completely, you also shouldn't push through large amounts of pain. A general guide is that pain more than 4/10 pain might indicate that the tendon isn't coping with the load and it may make the condition worse over time.
In most cases, tendonitis develops from overuse, strain, or repetitive motion. However, not moving your body can also be equally risky for your tendons, especially as you age. Inactivity is very hard on the body, and it can lead to the deterioration of many functions, which is a problem known as disuse syndrome.
We've had a few cases of tendinitis this past month and they've got three things in common. There's a weakness in the muscle or one of the surrounding muscles, lots of tension, and overuse. All of these affect each other and one will cause the other to get worse.
Most damage heals in about two to four weeks, but chronic tendinitis can take more than six weeks, often because the sufferer doesn't give the tendon time to heal. In chronic cases, there may be restriction of motion of the joint due to scarring or narrowing of the sheath of tissue that surrounds the tendon.
Chronic tendonitis is often defined by the tendon pain lasting more than 6 weeks, and the condition is referred to as tendinosis. Tendinosis is thought to be mainly caused by degeneration of the tendon. In order to effectively treat and resolve tendinosis, you must stimulate regeneration of the affected tendon.
Tendons attach muscles to bones. Tendons generally have a more limited blood supply than muscles. This makes them somewhat slower healing structures in comparison to muscle.
Deep tissue massage may be one of the best massage styles for treating tendonitis. It combines firm pressure and slow strokes to reach the deep layers of muscle and fascia, treating chronic pain. This technique enhances circulation and breaks up scar tissue, which can also reduce swelling.
Remember: If it gets better within 3 to 5 days of rest and does not return, it probably was a simple case of inflammation. If your tendon pain does not go away or keeps returning once you resume activity, it is most likely a tendinopathy and requires much more attention!
Tendinitis can occur as a result of injury or overuse. Playing sports is a common cause. Tendinitis also can occur with aging as the tendon loses elasticity. Body-wide (systemic) diseases, such as rheumatoid arthritis or diabetes, can also lead to tendinitis.
Tendon healing occurs in three phases, inflammation, repair and remodelling. The inflammatory process happens for 3-7 days after injury. At approximately day the collagen production starts. In the following months, this new tissue then matures and the collagen fibres settle in the tendon.
Short and Frequent Walks: If you experience discomfort, it might be helpful to take shorter but more frequent walks. Walking for 15-20 minutes at a time can allow the tendon time to recover between walks.
You don't necessarily have to stop working out with overuse injuries. The key is to modify your routine to put less stress on the affected area. If you don't, there is an increased risk of developing a chronic problem which can persist for months. In severe cases of tendinopathy, the tendon can rupture or tear.
Most cases of tendonitis recover completely, but severe untreated tendonitis can lead to rupture of the tendon.
Physiotherapy is a highly effective treatment for wrist tendonitis. Your physio will create an individual treatment program which may include: Pain relief and pain management. A general treatment starts off with a few simple steps to control inflammation and allow tendon healing.
The longer you ignore symptoms and try to push through the pain, the more severe your injury may become. Tendonitis pain can also hinder your mobility and reduce athletic performance.
Severe symptoms may require specialized treatment from a rheumatologist, an orthopaedic surgeon or a physical therapist. When properly treated, most tendinitis conditions don't result in permanent joint damage or disability.
Does Stretching Help Tendonitis? Quick answer, stretching certainly can help decrease the resting tension of the inflamed or degenerative tendon. It is important to note that you need to make sure that your injury is indeed tendonitis. Stretching is not indicated for tendon tears or ruptures.