Tendons are tough fibres that connect muscle to bone. Most tendon injuries are the result of gradual wear and tear to the tendon from overuse or ageing. Anyone can have a tendon injury, but people who repeatedly make the same motions over and over in their jobs, sports, or daily activities are more likely to damage a tendon.
Common tendon injuries include tennis elbow (lateral epicondylitis), achilles tendonitis, patellar tendonitis, rotator cuff injuries (suprapinatus tendonitis, infraspinatus tendonitis).
Your tendons are designed to withstand high, repetitive loading.
When tendons become stressed, they sustain small micro tears, which encourage inflammatory chemicals and swelling, which can quickly heal if managed appropriately.
However, if the load is continually applied to the tendon, the damage will progressively become worse, causing pain and dysfunction. The result is a tendinopathy or tendinosis.
Tendonitis means inflammation of the tendon.
Tendinopathy/Tendinosis is a non-inflammatory degenerative condition due to repetitive overloading.
It is very important to have your tendinopathy assessed by a Chartered Physiotherapist in order to identify the stage of injury and repair. Accurate diagnosis in identifying your tendinopathy phase is vital in order to manage your symptoms effectively. Emphasis is placed on biomechanics and functional rehabilitation through eccentric strength training.
It may take weeks or months for a tendon injury to heal. Be patient, and stick with your treatment. If you start using the injured tendon too soon, it can lead to more damage. Your Chartered Physiotherapist will advise on return to activities and how to make small biomechanical modifications to prevent recurrent damage.
If you would like to find out more about tendonitis or wish to book an appointment please feel free to contact us by clicking here and filling in your details in the online form.
Alternatively please phone us directly on (057) 866 0663.
