Health & Fitness Blog

Your tendons are strong fibrous tissue that connects muscle to the bone. Tendonitis is inflammation of any of the many tendons throughout your body. This type of injury has many names depending on the area that is affected, for instance Achilles tendonitis is inflammation of the Achilles tendon. Other types of tendonitis include tennis elbow or jumper’s knee.

Tendonitis symptoms typically happen as the result of a repetitive strain injury. Repetitive motion can gradually lead to small tears being made in the tendon. The pain resulting from the condition can range from mild to severe, depending on the seriousness of the injury and how long the tendon has been inflamed since continuing to strain the tendon worsens the condition. You can often prevent the condition from progressing to a severe injury by using splints or wraps to restrict motion and heat, cold and anti-inflammatory drugs to reduce the swelling.

To prevent permanent damage, you have to be able to identify tendonitis symptoms and seek treatment before the condition progresses. The following are the most common symptoms of tendonitis.

Pain

Swelling

Affected area can feel warm to the touch

Restricted range of motion, especially early in the morning or late in the evening

Stiffness

Burning sensation

Pain when the affected area is touched

Preventing Tendonitis Symptoms

As with any other type of strain or injury the best thing, you can do reduce the risk or prevent the injury all together. This does not mean you will have to quit playing tennis, golf or any other sport, just take a few extra precautions.

Tendonitis sometimes results from exercising without properly warming up before and cooling down afterwards. You should warm up and cool down before and after a workout by stretching to keep your muscles and tendons flexible.

Tendonitis symptoms can also occur from the strain of daily activity. People who are overweight are particularly prone to tendonitis, since the heavier you are, the more weight your joints and tendons have to carry. You can help to prevent tendonitis from developing by losing any excess weight you may be carrying.

Poor posture can also result in tendonitis symptoms. Ergonomics are important, no matter whether it has to do with how you sit at the office or your form while playing sports. Specially designed ergonomic furniture can help you to maintain good posture while you work.

Your form while exercising or playing a sport can help you to avoid tendonitis. Make sure to get the advice of a professional on proper form whenever you take up a new sport to make sure that you don’t stress your tendons or overextend yourself and cause damage to yourself in the process.

Many different methods exist to prevent and treat this condition. You can use splints or wraps to immobilize the affected area so it can heal and reduce inflammation with heat or cold therapy. Whenever you experience pain, swelling or a burning sensation while you’re engaged in exercise or other physical activity you should stop the activity at once and get treatment.

Tom Nicholson has spent years helping carpal tunnel sufferers. You can follow this link to find out more regarding having asore wrist.