Tendinopathy - prevention and treatment without pain

This article should take about 6 minutes to read.

Don't ignore persistent and recurring joint pain. It could be a signal that your tendons are strained and you need rest and a change. If you don't, you could develop a tendinopathies.

What is tendinopathy?
Who is at risk for tendinopathy?
What are the causes of tendinopathy?
Diagnosis and main symptoms of tendinopathy
How is tendinopathy treated?
Effective prevention of tendinopathy
Treatment of tendinopathy in Profizjoclinic - start living without pain!

This inconvenient and painful problem will effectively deprive you of the pleasure of running, swimming or performing daily activities. See, what is tendinopathy, how it is created and how the treatment goes!

What is tendinopathy?

Although tendons are made of tough fibrous compact tissue, daily activities can cause micro-injuries and strains in them. When, on the other hand, the stresses are too great and regeneration insufficient, chronic ailments can result. One of the most common is tendinopathy, which addresses conditions that cause tendonitis.

It is characterized by limited mobility of the joint in question, redness and swelling. In later stages of development, changes may also appear, visible during X-ray diagnosis (e.g. erosions, enthesophytes, osteophytes). Tendinopathy is also associated with chronic pain. It is usually associated with physical activity: it usually occurs during and after exercise.

Who is at risk for tendinopathy?

When we talk about types of tendinopathies, we mean the place where they occur. Most often this type of ailment involves a joint:

of the ankle (tendinopathy of the Achilles tendon)
Knee (e.g., jumper's knee),
Elbow (such as tennis elbow),
Shoulder (e.g., rotator cone tendinopathy).

Tendinopathy can develop among both physically active people and those who do not participate in any sport. Within these two groups, however, there will be differences, regarding direct causes of tendinopathy.

In the case of physically active people, tendinopathy can be the result of, among other things:

a build-up of excessive stress (such as overtraining)
Inadequate preparation for training (e.g., improper warm-up),
carelessness in muscle relaxation and relaxation (e.g., post-workout self-massage or physiotherapy support),
Incorrect exercise technique (e.g., foot placement while running),
insufficient recovery (e.g., a stressful lifestyle or too little sleep),
ill-fitting footwear.

Tendinopathy in people who are less physically active is more likely to result from a sedentary lifestyle, daily activities or movement habits in daily life. The type and nature of occupational work is also not insignificant. Where monotonous and repetitive movements occur, tendinopathy can develop (e.g., office worker, painter).

In addition, the elderly are at risk of developing tendinopathy, as tendon strength and flexibility decline with age. Other risk factors may also include previous tendon injuries and postural defects.

What are the causes of tendinopathy?

It is worth noting, however, that the division of the incidence of tendinopathy among active and inactive people is conventional. In the vast majority of patients, cause of tendinopathy is the resultant of both the sports practiced and daily activities and lifestyle. A person who does triathlons and spends a lot of time in the pool and works in front of a computer every day can acquire both supraspinatus muscle tendinopathy and extensor tendinopathy of the forearm.

It is therefore important to consult the right specialists quickly. Good orthopedist will effectively diagnose the problem, accurately determine the immediate cause, perform the necessary tests and propose a treatment plan. In turn physiotherapist will help to go through the rehabilitation process, while performing the necessary treatments.

Thus, generalizing, we can say that the main and most common cause of tendinopathy is the build-up of microdamage in the tendons. Microdamage, on the other hand, can occur as a result of prolonged and repeated overloading (e.g., during work or a particular physical activity).

Diagnosis and main symptoms of tendinopathy

We have already mentioned that tendinopathy sends quite clear signals that are difficult to ignore: swelling, redness, pain or limited mobility in the overstressed joint. However, the final diagnosis should belong to a specialist. For this purpose, an orthopedist will conduct, among other things: a physical examination, an ultrasound, or may also order an MRI.

How is tendinopathy treated?

Treatment of tendinopathy requires time, patience, commitment on the part of the patient and often a change in lifestyle. Also crucial is cooperation with orthopedist and physiotherapist. The treatment process usually takes place in several stages. The ultimate goal, however, is not only to remove the pain, but also to strengthen the damaged tissue and prevent injury.

In the beginning, the most important thing is rest, recovery and avoiding activities that aggravate the discomfort. To relieve pain and swelling, cold compresses or cryotherapy are recommended. At this stage, the following principles are helpful RICE methods:

Rest - relaxation
Ice - ice
Compression
Elevation - upward elevation.

When acute pain subsides after a few days, treatment of tendinopathy enters the next phase. Here the key element is to work with a good physiotherapist. The specialist develops individual rehabilitation plan, which primarily includes gradual habituation of the tendon to exercise. It is inadvisable to immobilize the tendon for an extended period of time, as this paradoxically ends up weakening it. Physical therapy under the care of an experienced physiotherapist is therefore extremely important.

In the treatment of tendinopathy, the following are used various physiotherapy methods:

transverse massage,
manual therapy,
kinesiotaping,
kinesitherapy
shock wave therapy.

Some patients lack patience. Others give up treatment of tendinopathies, explaining the lack of time. Unfortunately, the omission of treatment or downplaying the problem and further overloading of the painful tendon, can end up with much more serious consequences (such as complete rupture of the tendon).

Effective prevention of tendinopathy

After recovery and full fitness, many patients throw themselves back into work, sports and responsibilities, forgetting their previous ailments. Thus, they risk a recurrence of tendinopathy. To prevent this, effective prevention. It may include, but is not limited to:

correct ergonomics of the workstation,
Proper warm-up before physical activity,
Adjusting training loads to individual capabilities,
proper regeneration,
Taking care to loosen and relax the body, especially after intense workouts,
varied physical activity that prevents overloading the same structures,
A balanced diet to support the proper functioning of joints, tendons and ligaments,
Proper hydration levels throughout the day.

In addition, it is a good idea to monitor the condition of your body, by consulting a good physiotherapist regularly. His skills, knowledge and experience will allow him to quickly detect possible abnormalities, and thus eliminate ailments before they become bothersome and serious.

Tendinopathy treatment at Profizjoclinic - start living without pain!

W Profizjoclinic physiotherapy clinic We effectively solve our patients' problems. We have experience in Treatment of tendinopathies and other system ailments Musculoskeletal. When you choose our specialists, you are assured that we will take care of not only your problem, but most importantly you. You will meet with kindness, empathy and understanding. We are people who want you to regain your life without pain. Check out our options, book an appointment at Profizjoclinic and get rid of tendinopathy!