Chronic tendonitis

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Chronic tendonitis

Monday, May 14th, 2007    Subscribe To Our Feed

Chronic tendonitis is not only painful, it can be disabling as well: millions suffer from it.

Chronic tendonitis which is a condition that affects the tendons in various parts of the body. The word “chronic” means recurring and tendons are the elastic-like tissue which connects the muscles to the bones.

These tendons tend to lose their elasticity with the aging process due to normal wear and tear. Often the tendon will break or tear and scar tissue will form. Since scar tissue is not as flexible as the tendon it can cause inflammation and pain with continued use to the area. The areas most affected are the elbow, shoulder, knees, ankles, and feet. During the course of the day these areas will usually get a lot of use and the area does not have time to heal before the need arises to use it again.

Age is not the only cause of chronic tendonitis. Athletes often suffer from this condition because of the repetitive motion required during athletic activity. For instance golfers constantly swing a golf club or ball players will constantly swing a bat or throw a ball. Over the course of time this causes the tendons to weaken and inflammation occurs. Many people suffer from chronic tendonitis because they fail to do the proper stretches or warm-up before exercising. This puts added strain on tendons, often leading to tearing or rupture. When it does, the treatment options are greatly diminished.

Dealing With the Pain of Chronic Tendonitis

The pain that is associated with tendonitis can range from very mild to extremely severe. The treatment can be as simple as ibuprofen and rest or your doctor may want you to begin an anti-inflammatory medication to relieve the swelling in the affected area. Often doctors will recommend mild stretching exercises in order to keep the joints flexible. Corticosteroids can be injected but they do not come without risks. They are known to weaken the immune system or infection can occur at the injection site. It is very important that the tendon be given time to heal or severe tendon injury can occur. Surgery may be needed in severe cases in order to relieve the pain.

The best way to prevent chronic tendonitis is to take steps to avoid activity which can cause the condition. Before exercising always make sure to do warm-up stretching. Consider changing your exercise routine to low impact, apply ice to any area that is inflamed, and stop the activity that requires further use of the affected tendon. This may mean some activity modification but in the long run it can help you avoid severe tendon damage and pain. Yoga stretches have also proved effective in some cases of chronic tendonitis.

[tags]tendonitis, chronic tendonitis, inflammation, medication, activity, stretching[/tags]