Treating Tendinitis
You are in pain around your legs and feet. It makes walking around difficult. You have tried to ice the areas and it doesn’t seem to help. Could it be tendinitis?
Tendinitis means that certain tendons—the tough and gristly structures that attach muscles to bones—have become inflamed. This can occur from overuse (in sports, for example) or by something as plebeian as improper footwear that irritates the foot and heel. Tendinitis can be acute (short-term) or chronic (long-term).
According to the Cleveland Clinic, the condition can affect anyone. But it tends to bother those who do repetitive tasks. Some of these may include gardening/landscaping, woodworking, shoveling, painting, scrubbing and tennis, golf, skiing and baseball (pitching).
Some other risk factors may be: poor posture; the presence of certain diseases that weaken the bones like rheumatoid arthritis, gout/pseudogout; blood and kidney diseases; adults 40 years of age and older; and certain medicines (which may cause the tendons to tear) like fluoroquinolone.
Tendinitis can occur in different areas of the body where a tendon connects a bone to a muscle. Some of these common areas are the base of the thumb, elbow, shoulder, hip, knee, and Achilles tendon (connects the calf muscles to the heel bone).
Tendinitis is caused by repetitive, minor impact on the affected area or from a sudden, more serious injury. Symptoms are pain at the site of the tendon and surrounding area. The pain can vary from a gradual buildup to severe and sudden.
Treatment of tendinitis begins with avoiding activities that will make the pain worse, resting the injured area, icing the injured area, and taking over-the-counter anti-inflammatory medication.
If the problem area still persists for approximately three weeks, then see a doctor. Your physician may be able to prescribe stronger medication such as corticosteroids injections, physical therapy or surgery (rarely needed).
You can avoid getting tendinitis by following these steps:
§ Avoid staying in the same position. Take breaks every 30 minutes.
§ Learn proper posture positions for different activities.
§ Position yourself directly in front of the object you want to pick up. Never twist your arm to the side.
§ Use a firm grip, not tightly squeezed, when working with or picking up objects
§ Don’t use one hand to carry heavy objects. Don’t carry the object at the side of the body with one hand.
§ Stop any activity immediately that causes pain.
Depending on the severity of your injury, it might take weeks to months to fully recover from tendinitis.
You should contact your doctor if you experience a fever (over 100 degrees Fahrenheit), swelling redness and warmth, general illness or multiple sites of pain, and inability to move the affected area.
Pay attention to details when it comes to a workout regimen. Consider professional instruction before beginning an exercise program. Stretch after exercising when your muscles have warmed up. Engage in cross-training to combine high impact (e.g. running) with low impact (e.g. biking or swimming).
Most importantly, don’t try to work through the pain. Rest is key to a successful recovery. But after a few days rest, you will need to move that area of your body to keep joints limber.
