Tendonitis is a painful injury that many Americans suffer from. Some cases are mild while others can be extreme, leading someone to have to take off from work while recovering. Being such a common injury, those who suffer from tendonitis will be happy to know that there are ways to cope and heal this injury. It is not something you have to live in pain with on a daily basis. It is best to stay informed and focus on recovery. Learn what tendonitis is, top symptoms and causes, go-to types of treatment, and how a premier physical therapist in Cheyenne, WY and all other locations can help.

What is Tendonitis?

Tendons are the thick tissue that connects muscles and bones together. When certain activities that are done over and over, these repetitive motions create stress on the tendons. From there, the area become inflamed or even tear. Over time this inflammation becomes painful, which is known as tendonitis. Tendonitis can occur in several areas of the body. Some of the common areas include in the elbow, known as “tennis elbow,” the rotator cuff, heel, knee, shoulder, or wrist.

Symptoms and Causes

For some, the pain of tendonitis is a simple ache. It may feel worse when using the area that is affected. In addition, the area may swell, feel hot, and can be very painful. Typically, it is overuse and repetitive motions that can cause tendonitis. In addition, overexerting yourself and lifting more than you can handle can also lead to inflammation or tears of the tendons. Tendonitis is especially common in athletes, such as golfers, swimmers, or tennis players. You can only imagine what a painful injury may do to an athlete’s abilities. The quality of their work is not as well. This is why it is important to recognize there is a problem and treat it as soon as possible.

Treatment and Physical Therapy

Upon experiencing pain, it is important to see a local doctor as soon as possible. Why? When tendonitis becomes severe, the tendon can rupture. In these cases, the injury is extreme and will need surgery to be fixed. Depending on the severity, they may want to X-ray the area to get a better look at your injury. Your doctor can help prescribe medicine that will help with the pain, such as pain relievers or corticosteroids. In addition, physical therapy is extremely beneficial, too. Through a series of very carefully done exercises, your physical therapist can help you regain strength in the area which will help with recovery. In Medscape’s tendonitis treatment and management, they review additional ways to treat the pain.

If you are suffering from tendonitis, make sure you get plenty of rest, go easy on the affected areas, see your doctor and consider North Platte Physical Therapy to help you recover. When it comes to treating your tendonitis, learn more about treating pain with ice vs. heat and what’s the difference. To see how we can help you, contact us today.  We want to help you recover and get back to your everyday activities, pain-free!