Tendinitis

Understanding the causes of tendinitis

I love my job for many reasons. People are in pain and come to me because I help break their pain cycle. The education and homework I give them helps them stay out of pain. A huge example of chronic pain is tendinitis.

Tendinitis is caused from the over-working of a muscle during repetitive movements. This could be a golf swing, painting your kitchen, or using a computer mouse. Symptoms include: chronic tension, numbness, tingling, muscle weakness, sharp pain, decreased range of motion.

As we’ve learned, strength isn’t always measured by how much load you can put on a muscle. Sometimes strength is measured by endurance; in this case, how long a muscle can endure a contracted position. To build that endurance, slowly working up the frequency of repetitive motions will help.

The dysfunction comes when the repetitive movement is stronger or more than the endurance of the muscle.

Ways to treat tendinitis at home before going to the doctor

What to do:

1. Rest
(2-3 weeks) to interrupt the pain cycle

This is the most frustrating thing for people to hear. Whether it's an athlete that can’t think of the last time they went 2-3 weeks not doing that specific exercise, or someone that is required to do this movement for their job. I’ve had my own personal battles with elbow tendinitis as a bodyworker.

Sometimes it’s not realistic to stop performing certain movements. In that case, adjusting the frequency and way you do them can help. Example: buy an ergonomic mouse or take breaks hanging on the pull-up bar.

The idea is creating boundaries around the aggravating activity.

For me, I need 48 hours of rest every week, 30 minutes between appointments, and a slow introduction into full-day appointments if I’ve been out of the office for more than 2 weeks.

If adjustments don’t help and the pain persists, then the 2-3 week rest is ABSOLUTELY crucial to your healing. Going a long time with untreated tendinitis puts you in more risk of a nerve entrapment, ligament tears, or needing surgery.

Ways to Rest and Rehab Tendinitis

During this rest period, you can introduce manual therapy techniques to help release the deep, contracted muscles:

Massage, cupping, Graston blading / Gua Sha, dry needling, acupuncture, electrical muscle stimulation.

2. Rehab

To strengthen the muscles endurance. The key is to start small and slow so the tendinitis isn’t triggered again. Start with full range of motion movements and slowly add weights. Exercise bands and small dumbbells can be added as you get stronger.

When to go to the doctor

• If the pain worsens after 2- 3 week rest

• Pain continues after 3 week rest

• Decreased range of motion continues after 3 week rest