Tendonitis: All You Need To Know

What is tendonitis?

Muscles and tendons… Everyone has had muscle pain at some point. After one to three days it is over. Tendon pain is another story ... A tendon is a strong tissue that holds a muscle to a bone. Some tendons are covered by a sheath called synovium. This sheath provides an oily liquid that allows the tendon to move smoothly and freely in the sheath as it pulls on the bone to which it is attached. We call an inflamed damaged tendon tendonitis or tendinopathy. Tendon infections of the knee, shoulder, groin, arm, or elbow are common.

Symptoms

With this type of inflammation, you often have pain near a joint, because the tendons are attached to the bone. Pain complaints arise gradually. In the first phase, you feel pain after strenuous exercise. That pain subsides but worsens with more load.

In the second stage, the pain can also be felt during normal activities, during sports, or at work. In the last stage, the pain gets progressively worse and also occurs in a resting state. Moving the joint is difficult and painful and sometimes the joint can even get stuck. You may also experience morning stiffness. You do not always see anything on the outside of the tendon. But, for example, the Achilles tendon can cause swelling or redness.

How does tendonitis develop?

The causes of tendonitis are not yet fully understood. Most inflammation is due to overuse or overload of a muscle (group). Obesity and age also play a role, muscle groups above the age of 40 are more heavily loaded and joints are less stable.

Leg length difference or foot deviation can put more stress on the muscles and tendons, resulting in inflammation.

External factors such as a hard surface where you practice sports, weather conditions, such as cold and not good sports equipment also play a role.

Tendonitis tips

• start with a good warm-up and end with a cool-down
• You can still train at the initial stage of a complaint, but reduce the training intensity and size to cure the complaint
• tendon inflammation of the foot or leg? Prefer not to jump
• tendonitis of the arm or shoulder? Avoid smashing, throwing, front crawling, or lifting weights
• if you are in the first stage of pain complaints, follow alternative training such as cycling, swimming or cardio fitness
• do (if it does not hurt) eccentric exercises: exercises that strengthen muscle mass and strength and promote the healing process. Eccentric movement is an active extension of muscle and tendon tissue. During concentric training, the muscles and tendons shorten
• stop training immediately if you experience (more) problems despite various measures
• wear well-fitting sports shoes with a shock-absorbing sole, firm heel support and a highly flexible heel edge
• replace your footwear on time, shoes that are 1 to 2 years old often have less cushioning
• if you have (minor) foot abnormalities, such as flat feet, get advice from a specialist store
• wear sports clothing that protects your body against outside influences
• train on a soft, even surface; if you are free of complaints, vary the surface during the training, so that the muscles and tendons develop well
• avoid slippery surfaces
• the chance of injuries is greater with overweight: ensure a healthy weight
• cooling or massaging can be analgesic
• exercise regularly, which slows down the aging process of your tendons

So take good care of your tendons and muscles ... Tendonitis is, unfortunately, an injury that can be long-lasting. If you continue to suffer, go to the doctor or physiotherapist.