Tendonitis

Tendonitis (which is also sometimes spelled tendinitis) is a form of painful inflammation in the tendons, which are the chord-like parts of the body that connect muscles to bones. Usually caused by repetitive movements (like exercise or sitting in the same position for many hours), injuries or built-up inflammation over time, tendonitis can cause a lot of pain.

• Chronic tendonitis is a dull but constant soreness that feels worse when you first start to move. It then eases up as muscles get warmer.
• Acute tendonitis is a sharper pain that may keep you from moving the joint. The pain may eventually go away. But it's likely to return if the stressful motion is repeated.

Some of the common areas of the body where tendonitis can develop include the knees, shoulders, heels, elbows, wrists, hips and hands. Different types of tendonitis go by various names depending on how and where it forms, for example:

• Tennis Elbow
• Golfer’s elbow
• Pitcher’s shoulder
• Swimmer’s shoulder
• Jumper’s knee

Causes

Tennis elbow, quarterback shoulder, and jumper's knee are forms of tendonitis, a painful but often preventable injury. Tendonitis is your body's way of telling you that you're putting too much stress on this muscle and joint." Tendons are connective tissues that hold muscles to bones. When muscles contract, tendons react, causing bones to move. Too much stress on joints can tear and inflame tendons, says the American College of Rheumatology. The tissue will fix itself quickly if the damage is slight or happens only sometimes. But pain can become constant if the damage happens often. Weekend athletes know that tendonitis is a common result of overdoing it, especially when the body is out of shape. Other factors contribute to tendonitis:

• Forceful or violent motions, such as pitching a fastball
• Unnatural motions, like serving a tennis ball
• Poor body mechanics or technique when doing an activity like aerobics, lifting weights, or painting the ceiling

Often several of these factors may be involved at once.

Natural Remedies

• See your healthcare provider if you think you have tendonitis. Your provider may recommend the classic RICE treatment for pain relief: Rest the joint. Apply ice packs. Compress the area with an elastic bandage to ease soreness and inflammation. Keep the joint elevated.
• Follow an Anti-inflammatory Diet
• Turmeric + Blackcurrant + Horsetail
• Devil's claw contains chemicals that might decrease inflammation and swelling and resulting pain.Devil’s claw is used for “hardening of the arteries" (atherosclerosis), arthritis, gout, muscle pain (myalgia), back pain, tendonitis, chest pain, gastrointestinal (GI) upset or heart burn, fever, and migraine headache. It is also used for difficulties in childbirth, menstrual problems, allergic reactions, loss of appetite, and kidney and bladder disease.
• Stinging Nettle is used to treat painful symptoms of arthritis, gout, rheumatism, and soft tissue conditions such as fibromyalgia and tendonitis.
• Bromelain — This enzyme is found naturally in pineapple and has anti-inflammatory effects. Try taking 500 milligrams three times daily to help with tissue repair.
• MSM — This is a powerful nutrient for healing since it’s an anti-inflammatory and a source of sulfur that’s necessary for tendons to properly function. It also works well for treating muscle aches like ongoing shoulder or back pain. I recommend 1,000 milligrams three times daily.
• Essential oils — To help reduce pain and speed up blood flow, try natural essential oils like cypress, frankincense or peppermint oil. Use them by mixing two drops of each oil together with 1/2 teaspoon of coconut oil. Then apply the mixture directly to the painful area three to five times daily with a warm compress to help them sink into the skin. Soaking in a warm bath infused with essential oils is another good option.
• Garlic has anti-inflammatory effects. It is especially effective at mopping up free radicals, an excess of which contributes to inflammation. You can download Jill Davies' book on Garlic for free.
• Avoid dehydration and drink plenty of water in order to ensure "well-gliding" joint surfaces.
• Essential fatty acids have an excellent reputation as anti-inflammatory agents. For those who are not vegetarian/vegan, a good quality fish oil supplement to provide the omega 3 fatty acids EPA and DHA may be particularly beneficial; ask your health food store to recommend one. For vegetarians and vegans, look for a vegan omega 3, 6 and 9 fatty acid supplement that contains GLA from evening primrose or starflower oil. Use a cold-pressed flax seed oil on foods for the extra omega 3 – this is particularly important for those who cannot take fish oil.
• Physical therapy — Some people choose to try physical therapy for tendon injuries, which involves seeing a specialist who works with you to prescribe special isolated movements. The goal of physical therapy is to slowly start stretching the injured tendon in a controlled matter, while increasing flexibility and strength in the supporting muscles around the tendon.
• Chiropractic treatments — Either a trained chiropractor or physical therapist can assess your posture and give you tips for performing certain activities in a safer way. Your chiropractor could be your newest antioxidant because the researched benefits of chiropractic adjustments are plentiful. For example, if you regularly do work that involves standing and moving, or you’re experiencing pain when exercising, both professionals can show you helpful techniques related to stretching, flexibility and proper posture to lower the chance or injuries.
• Myotherapy

Preventing Tendonitis

A prevention program should replace bad habits with these methods that promote a healthy workout:

• Warm up thoroughly, gradually building the intensity level of your workout. Cool down after the session.
• Train for a new sport before you start it. Start building strength and flexibility in the muscles you will use a few weeks or months in advance.
• Learn the proper method and use the proper equipment for any exercise or activity. Work out regularly, not just once a week.