Tendinitis
If you are a person who is into high-intensity sports, inflammation of tendons must be a common sight. The condition wherein inflammation or irritation of tendons occurs is known as tendinitis or tendonitis. Tendinitis can occur in tendons located in various parts of your body but is most common around your wrists, elbows, knees, heels, and shoulders. The name of the injury is fashioned according to the area involved like Tennis elbow, golfer’s elbow, pitcher’s shoulder, swimmer’s shoulder, and jumper’s knee. Most of these names are based on one or the other sport because tendinitis is more common among adults who do a lot of sport. But that’s not it, older people are also susceptible to the condition because as people age, tendons lose their elasticity and hence become weaker. Now that we know some basic information about tendinitis, let's look into the more commonly frowned upon questions like, how does it occur, what are the symptoms, etc.
How does tendinitis occur?
Tendinitis can occur due to a variety of causes like-
? The condition is likely to stem from the repetition of a particular movement over time which in turn puts stress on the tendons.
? As stated earlier, as people age, tendons lose elasticity and hence become more susceptible to injury.
? Certain health conditions prevailing in a person like diabetes and rheumatoid arthritis increase their chance of developing tendinitis.
? Joint deformities or a poorly positioned joint or bone can put stress on soft tissues, hence causing tendonitis.
? Involvement in high-intensity sports like baseball, golf, tennis, swimming, etc. makes a person more likely to develop tendinitis.
How do we know if its tendinitis?
A frequently asked question is what are the symptoms of tendinitis. Let’s look into it-
? Tendon pain which gets worse on movement
? Inflammation in the area surrounding a tendon
? Tenderness in the affected area
How can I reduce my chances of developing tendinitis?
? While indulging in any exercise or physical activity, if you notice discomfort or pain, it is an indication that you should reduce the intensity of the exercise. Stop and rest.
? Do not jump into an intense workout at once. It is important to warm up and stretch first.
? Make it a point that you take frequent breaks while indulging in any activity that demands repetitive movements.
? Practice exercises that strengthen your muscles.
? If while indulging in an activity, a particular and persistent pain occurs, mix up the activity with some other exercise (cross-training).
? Tendon pain can also occur due to poor technique. Before taking part in any physical exercise, make sure that your technique is right.
How to treat tendinitis?
Treatment of tendinitis purely depends upon the severity of the injury. In a majority of cases, the following treatment options will be enough-
? Rest: Tendon pain is a sign that you are putting too much pressure on your tendons. The first and foremost thing to do in such cases is to rest and eventually reduce the intensity of your activity. This will, in turn, reduce the inflammation. Not resting on the other hand, can lead to major repercussions.
? Hot and cold treatment: Ice packs and warm towels help a lot in bringing down swelling and pain. A mistake that most people do is that they use ice cubes directly on the affected area. It should be taken into consideration that you wrap the ice cubes in a towel before applying it to the swollen area. On the other hand, the injured person can also take a warm bath or apply hot towels on the affected area to relieve pain and inflammation.
? Anti-inflammatory drugs: If nothing mentioned above contributes to the treatment, the next option is to take anti-inflammatory drugs. Such medication helps in lowering down the pain and inflammation. However, the consumption of such medicines should only be done after consulting your doctor.
In cases where none of these treatments work, you may have to see your doctor to get more advanced treatment. We at vardaan hospital make sure that you get treated with the easiest of measures. Our doctors will guide you thoroughly in treating tendinitis and not just that, they’ll make it a point that you get adequate preventive measures so that the condition doesn’t occur again. Visit Vardaan hospital, Delhi or contact us to book an appointment.