Tendonitis

What are tendons?  There are hundreds of tendons in the human body.  Tendons are tough bands of connective tissue that attach muscle to bones and are capable of withstanding friction.  Tendons are composed of collagen which lay in a parallel framework.  Examples include the following: a man with a short tendon and a long biceps muscle will have the opportunity to build more muscle mass than a man with a long tendon and a short biceps muscle. 

What is Tendonitis?

Tendonitis literally means inflammation of a tendon.  This can happen for many reasons including but not limited to: muscle strain, exercising, and repetitive trauma.  The patient will often enough exhibit signs and symptoms of pain, local inflammation, reduced range of motion (ROM), tenderness upon palpation, warmth, and tightness in the muscle itself.  This is very common following aggressive exercise or repetitive lifting, etc. 

Tendonitis Treatment

Treatment for Tendonitis includes but is not limited to the following types of treatment: PRICE regimen which stands for protect, rest, ice, compression, and elevation, ultrasound, electrical muscle stimulation, cold laser therapy, physical therapy, massage therapy, acupuncture, and stretching.  A common treatment that is very effective in the treatment of Tendonitis is ice massage.  This can be applied by taking Dixie cups filled with water and freezing them.  Next, rip off about half inch around the top of the cup and apply to the affected area in a circular motion.  This should be applied for about ten to fifteen minutes or until numb.  This may be repeated many times during the day as long as there are sufficient breaks in between the ice treatments, like a minimum of twenty minutes.  Chiropractic may also be very beneficial in the treatment of Tendonitis.  Chiropractors are skilled in the art of structure and function and eliminating pressure in the spinal column as well as extremities.  They educate patients on the importance of maintaining a healthy nervous system.  The nervous system is the most important system in the human body controlling and coordinating every organ and body part.  First, they will take a detailed case history and perform a physical examination.  This will include active, passive, and restricted range of motion to the affected joints.  They are proficient in manipulation of the spine and extremities and this is performed by restoring motion to restricted joints like those affected with tendonitis.  An adjustment is an HVLA thrust which stands for high velocity low amplitude to reduce patient sensitivity and overcome the threshold.