How to Heal Tendonitis
Tendonitis is the medical term for inflammation of the tendons – the thick fibrous strings attaching muscle to bone. These tendons cause pain and swelling around a joint when inflamed or irritated. Acute tendonitis commonly occurs when playing sports or any activity that overuses a tendon.
If tendonitis does not resolve, we refer to it as chronic tendonitis. This condition is a common cause of disability in the US. According to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics, more than 70,000 people miss work annually due to tendonitis. Little wonder that so many patients ask us how to heal tendonitis.
Such statistics shouldn't be too surprising. When tendonitis becomes chronic, it tends to stay that way. That's because:
Muscles become tight and stay tight.
Connective tissue shrinks, further constricting the tendon.
Inflammation continually enhances your sensitivity to pain.
Worse, because sufferers are in pain, they do less and less, further tightening the muscle and tendon. It's a negative cycle of inflammation and discomfort.
Common areas affected by tendonitis include heels, knees, wrists, elbows, and shoulders. These types of tendonitis are typically associated with an activity, earning names like:
Achilles tendon
Jumper's knee
Tennis elbow
Golfer's elbow
Swimmer's shoulder
Pitcher's shoulder
How to heal tendonitis
The end goal of treatment should be to relieve your pain, reduce inflammation, and ensure normal function returns. We'll explore the podiatric approach to treating tendonitis, followed by some home remedies.
Medications
Medication is the first-line treatment and will resolve the majority of acute cases. Your podiatrist may recommend these medications:
NSAIDs, like ibuprofen or naproxen, are potent anti-inflammatory medications. Available in topical cream or oral pills, they can be taken regularly without any adverse effects. Topical creams, in particular, allow the medication to be applied directly to the affected site.
Corticosteroids may be injected into the tendon to relieve inflammation and ease pain. If tendonitis lasts longer than three months, steroid injections are not recommended. Furthermore, continual steroid injections may weaken the tendon, increasing the risk of tendon rupture.
Platelet-rich plasma (PRP) involves spinning a sample of your blood to extract the platelets and other healing factors. This solution is then injected into the chronically irritated tendon. Regarded as a novel procedure, research is still out on the best techniques and concentration to use.
Physical therapy
Considering tightness is an underlying cause of chronic tendonitis, physical therapy allows the muscle-tendon unit to be stretched and strengthened. Eccentric strengthening, for example, contracts the muscle as it is lengthening and has become a first-line treatment for the condition.
Your podiatrist or a specialist physical therapist may recommend other strengthening and stretching exercises.
Surgery and other procedures
In cases where neither physical therapy nor medications sufficiently resolve your symptoms, more advanced treatments may be considered, including:
Dry needling involves making small holes in the tendon to stimulate healing factors. The damage caused is minimal and will heal as the tendonitis resolves itself.
Ultrasonic treatment also involves making a small incision in the tendon. A special device is inserted that removes scar tissue from the tendon using ultrasonic sound waves.
Surgery is the final option, reserved for the most severe cases of tendonitis – for example, if the tendon has torn away from the bone.
Home remedies
Most podiatrists and doctors will recommend following the RICE recovery method – particularly for acute tendonitis. This involves:
Rest. Avoid activities that cause pain or swelling. However, patients should continue to perform other normal activities to prevent the muscle and tendons from weakening.
Ice. The inflammation is relieved by applying ice to the injured area for up to 20 minutes. Ice can be applied several times daily but should never be applied directly to the skin.
Compression. Because of the inflammation, the tendon will begin to swell. Using compressive bandages and wraps prevents excessive swelling.
Elevation. Raising the affected area, if it is below the knee or above the heart, will also reduce swelling.
These recommendations typically work well for acute tendonitis. However, if the tendonitis does not resolve, the patient should consider gradually increasing their activity level. Furthermore, daily stretching will also reduce stiffness and prevent tendonitis from becoming chronic.
Old remedies include soaking in Epsom salts, rubbing olive oil or sage leaves into the affected area, or, more sensibly, maintaining a healthy diet. Indeed, smoking or eating fast food can contribute to inflammation, exacerbating the underlying disease processes.
Final thoughts
Remedying tendonitis is not always easy. Acute tendonitis can gradually transform into a chronic, persistent condition if left unmanaged. Podiatrists will recommend physical therapy, medications, and even advanced procedures to relieve the condition. Meanwhile, learning how to heal tendonitis at home can prevent an acute condition from turning chronic.
For further information, please schedule an appointment with our podiatrists to inspect your lower limb tendonitis.
