Calcified Tendonitis
May 13th, 2007 Subscribe To Our Feed
As the name suggests, in calcified tendonitis, a tendon injury has become calcified. Calcification is a normal protective reaction of your body, however the calcifications can cause pain.
Despite this condition’s name, calcified tendonitis is rarely caused by excessive calcium in-take. Most blood tests reveal that the far majority of people diagnosed with this form of tendonitis are not found to have abnormally high levels of calcium in their blood. The best way to diagnose calcified tendonitis is through x-rays, which make it easier to detect excess calcium deposits on the body’s tendons. It is most common for this form of tendonitis to be detected in the shoulders, rather than in other parts of the body. Often patients will find that both shoulders are affected by the condition.
Types of Calcified Tendonitis
Doctors make a distinction between two types of calcified tendonitis, namely degenerative and reactive calcification. Degenerative calcification occurs due to the normal aging process and as a result of regular use. This form of tendonitis will often develop and worsen over an extended period of time. It results from a decrease in blood flow to the shoulder’s rotator cuff, the area where the muscles are connected by several tendons to the largest bone in the upper arm.
Less is known about the exact causes of reactive calcification, but scientists believe it is related to degenerative changes in the structure of tendons that lead to the formation of calcium deposits. Interestingly, this type of calcified tendonitis will cause pain, but usually also heal by itself over time. The calcium deposits are absorbed by the body and new tissue is naturally formed in order to heal the affected tendon.
Who is Most at Risk?
Calcified tendonitis usually affects older people and is very uncommon among those under 30 years of age. Reactive calcification has, however, been diagnosed in younger patients. Degenerative calcification is usually caused by overuse and excessive pressure on the shoulders and is most likely to occur in people over 40 years old. The most common symptoms of this disease include an aching pain and general stiffness in the shoulders, which leads to a decrease in the shoulder’s ability to rotate and move.
Treatment Options
In addition to anti-inflammatory drugs, the most effective way to the treat the pain caused by calcified tendonitis is to apply cortisone injections to the area. A procedure called “lavage” is also sometimes used to treat this condition. Lavage, which means “to clean” in French, involves the insertion of two needles into the shoulders, filled with saltwater, in order to remove the calcium deposits. If the pain remains unbearable, doctors may recommend that the patient undergo minor surgery to rectify the problem.
[tags]tendonitis, calcified tendonitis, reactive, degenerative, treatment, symptoms[/tags]
Patella Tendonitis: Sore joints - treatment
May 11th, 2007 Subscribe To Our Feed
Patella tendonitis affects the patella, which is where the shin and the knee bone connect. This condition is often referred to as “Jumper’s Knee”, because it often occurs with sports-related injuries such as basketball. With proper care, patella tendonitis can be treated and help can be readily available to alleviate pain and symptoms.
What’s tendonitis? Tendonitis is a painful condition in which the joints and tendons begin to swell and become red or inflamed. This can occur in many different parts of the body, mostly areas that are often in use and sometimes even overused or strained. Wrists, shoulders, knees and other parts are often the most commonly affected areas with which doctors see patients directly.
How Do I Treat Patella Tendonitis?
The first treatment for patella tendonitis sounds too simple to be true. It is simply rest. The knee needs a rest from strained and stressful activity, such as jumping or running. If you have been used to doing these things daily, you must stop for now in order for the inflammation to be reduced and heal. Rest is so important, yet many feel that they simply don’t have time to rest, so they continue to go on like before, living with the pain until it becomes unbearable. At that time, other stronger methods of treatment must be employed, such as NSAIDS, which can help reduce pain and inflammation as well.
Stretching exercises (try yoga for longterm results) are very good to help recover from patella tendonitis and should be used regularly to help prevent further injuries down the road. Hamstrings, calves and quadriceps can be stretched daily to help relax the legs and joints. Physical therapy may be necessary, depending on the severity of the patella tendonitis. Creams and salves can work wonders for relieving the pain and symptoms of this condition as well. Ice packs are often used as well to help with short-term symptoms such as swelling. Over the longer term, addressing the inflammatory issue is important with adjusting one’s diet and getting proper rest and exercise to maintain optimal health. While over-the-counter remedies can be helpful in the short term, they are not a good choice for long periods of time. More natural remedies such as increasing calcium and magnesium intake are a good way to treat patella tendonitis over the longer term.
[tags]tendonitis, patella tendonitis, knee, joint[/tags]
Achilles Tendonitis: Coping With It And Finding Relief
May 11th, 2007 Subscribe To Our Feed
Achilles tendonitis can happen to anyone, young or old. If you’ve been hobbling around in extreme pain and your doctor tells you that you have this injury, you’re wondering just what this means. Will you be incapacitated for weeks or months? How do you prevent this injury from recurring?
Achilles Tendonitis - What It Is
The Achilles tendon is largest tendon in your body: it joins your calf muscles to the bone. It needs to be large, because when you’re walking and running, it needs to be able to take the weight of your entire body.
Achilles tendonitis is damage to your Achilles tendon, causing irritation and inflammation to the tendon. The damage which causes Achilles tendonitis may occur from overuse in sports activities or training, and it may also be caused by arthritis, when arthritic spurs form where the tendon attaches to the heel bone.
Rest Is The Best Cure - Recovery Can Take A Couple Of Weeks
Achilles tendonitis causes pain when you’re walking, especially in the heel. Your heel and calf may be red and swollen. The initial treatment is simply rest, with pain medication like aspirin, because if you continue with the activities which caused the tendonitis, you may rupture the tendon. If the inflammation is very severe, you may need a cast to immobilize your heel until the inflammation subsides.
Once the inflammation is gone, you can begin physical therapy, which includes stretching exercises, as well as exercises to build up your calf muscles so that less pressure is placed on the tendon. Gentle yoga exercises are excellent both to stretch the tendon, and to build up muscle.
It’s vital that you start physical therapy, because once you’ve had Achilles tendonitis, the injury is likely to recur, in an even worse form, like a tear in the tendon. Your therapist will give you some exercises to do at home - they don’t take much time, just a few minutes a day.
Although Achilles tendonitis is disabling, it’s not a major injury, as long as you take the injury as a warning, and start therapy to strengthen the tendon so that the injury doesn’t recur.
[tags]tendonitis,Achilles tendonitis,injury,tendon,calf,heel,therapy,exercises,pain,inflammation[/tags]
Quadriceps Tendonitis
May 11th, 2007 Subscribe To Our Feed
The quadriceps tendons are a large group of tendons which run from under the knee cap and up the front of the thigh. These tendons are some of the strongest tendons in the body.
Quadriceps tendonitis is probably one of the most common types of tendonitis. Because of the every day use these tendons receive a lot of wear and tear. They bear our weight when we are walking or standing so maintaining a healthy weight is extremely important. When a person develops quadriceps tendonitis they may experience pain and swelling just above the knee. It is possible for this pain to radiate up the upper part of the leg. Any activity which causes these tendons to stretch will likely cause increased pain. The simple activity of sitting down can put pressure on this group of tendons.
Who Is At Risk?
Runners and athletes are prime candidates for quadriceps tendonitis. Repeated pounding to this group of tendons eventually takes its toll. If this condition is left untreated it tends to get worse and scar tissue will form. Being overweight contributes greatly to the break down of these tendons as well as the muscles. Once these tendons are damaged they rarely regain their former strength.
Treatment and What to Expect
After receiving a diagnosis of quadriceps tendonitis you will probably have to temporarily avoid using the knee and thigh area. You may need to wear a brace to provide stability to the area. A brace may also be helpful when you first return to some normal activity. If there is swelling and inflammation you may have to take medication that will reduce the swelling. Ice packs can also be a benefit to the pain as well as the swelling. It may be necessary to extract fluid from this area if other methods do not work. If the damage is severe surgery may be an option you want to consider.
Quadriceps tendonitis has better than a 50 per cent chance of recurring so adhering to treatment is very important. The ultimate goal is to avoid as much scar tissue as possible. Scar tissue has no flexibility and can be the cause of future problems. Your doctor or therapist can help you develop a program to gently stretch these tendons without causing further harm.
Choosing the correct shoe to maintain balance and support is also important. You may need to modify your routine to start walking instead of running and avoiding stairs whenever possible. Some people get relief from the pain with sonic ultrasound. The key is to take care to avoid any further damage to the weakened tendons.
[tags]quadriceps tendonitis, tendonitis, legs, thighs, shoes[/tags]
Peroneal Tendonitis - healthy ankles
May 10th, 2007 Subscribe To Our Feed
Your peroneal tendons are the tendons that tie your ankle to the muscles in your leg. They are responsible for the stability of your ankle as you move, in addition to protecting the ankle from sprains and strains. Peroneal tendonitis occurs when the peroneal tendons themselves are strained. It can also result from over training in athletes, or simply from slipping. Peroneal tendonitis will vary in degree as a direct result of the degree to which the peroneal tendons were strained.
For active people, having an injury such as peroneal tendonitis can be a very unwelcome way to force you to take a break from the activities you enjoy. While even the most cautious athletes may still find themselves sidelined with an injury, you can still take measures to prevent this from happening. Or even if you can’t prevent it altogether, you can help to ensure that peroneal tendonitis does not go undiagnosed for too long and increasing the extent of your injury. Knowing what peroneal tendonitis is and how it is caused will help you avoid it.
Identifying Peroneal Tendonitis
If you have peroneal tendonitis you will start to notice discomfort in movements that put stress on your ankle. If you roll your foot to the outside and your ankle hurts, you may have peroneal tendons. You will notice the discomfort at first during activity, and the pain will be around your ankle, maybe even along the outside of your foot. At the first sign of pain you should immediately restrict your activity and seek medical consultation. If you do have peroneal tendonitis you will only make it worse by continuing to add stress to the injured area.
Preventing Peroneal Tendonitis
While not all instances of peroneal tendonitis are avoidable, there are definitely some steps you can take to prevent this ailment from ensuing as a result of overuse or misuse. If you are active, make sure you are wearing proper footwear during your activities of choice, especially for things like running, tennis, working out, etc. If your shoes are not suited to your degree of pronation, you could be putting yourself at a greater risk for peroneal tendonitis. You should also allow yourself ample recovery time between your sessions of activity. If you exercise when you are tired or over-worked you are compromising your body’s ability to compensate accordingly. And if you do start to notice pain in your ankles, don’t wait to go see a doctor. The longer you wait the worse you’re the pain and injury will get.
[tags]peroneal tendonitis, tendonitis, feet, ankles, shoes[/tags]
Bursitis Tendonitis – dealing with it
May 8th, 2007 Subscribe To Our Feed
If your joints are red and swollen, you may suspect bursitis tendonitis.
Tendons are the elastic type ligaments that connect muscle to bone. When these tendons break down with use a condition called tendonitis can occur. Tendonitis is an inflammatory condition which can cause pain and limit movement. Sacs of fluid which provide cushioning to the joints are called bursae. If this fluid filled sac become inflamed it is called bursitis. When there is inflammation of both the tendon and the bursae it is a condition referred to as bursitis tendonitis. Pain from this condition can become quite severe. There are several contributing factors that can cause bursitis tendonitis. Often this occurs normally with the aging process. As tendons age they loose their elasticity and continued use of the tendon can cause tearing or rupture. This condition can also be cause by trauma from either an accident or athletic overuse. Repetitive movement such as typing, painting, or jogging can take its toll over time.
Many people mistake the pain associated with bursitis tendonitis as being arthritis and indeed, this may be an early warning sign of arthritis. It is important to determine the cause of the inflammation and pain. In severe cases infection can occur which could require antibiotics and extracting the fluid from the infected site.
Treating Bursitis Tendonitis
It is important for you to discuss this condition with your doctor. He will need to try to determine if there is an underlying cause for the pain and inflammation. Early detection and treatment have the highest success rate. If the condition is a result of trauma or injury it can often be treated with immobilizing the area with a brace and taking a regimen of anti-inflammatory drugs. If the condition is caused by repetitive movement then your doctor can recommend ways to reduce the stress to the affected area. Often a change in the way you sit at your workplace can be modified to cause less stress to your neck, shoulders, back, and wrists. Taking frequent breaks can reduce stress to the affected area. Your doctor may want you to go to physical therapy to learn proper stretching and exercise techniques.
Tips in Preventing Bursitis Tendonitis
Always warm up with stretches before exercising. Being overweight can add stress to your knees so it is important to keep your weight at a normal level. Use good posture when sitting and standing. If you work at a desk and type, make sure you are sitting at a comfortable height which allows you a comfortable position without putting stress on your wrists. Taking the time to prevent joint stress as much as possible will help you maintain healthy, pain-free freedom of movement.
[tags]bursitis, tendonitis, inflammation, swelling, pain, pain relief[/tags]
