Tendonitis Tips

Pain at the base of the thumb. Inflammation of extensor Pollicis Brevis & Abductor Pollicis Longus tendon gives rise to this pain.

Bones and muscles, together known as the musculoskeletal system, are responsible for all bodily movements. The bones and muscles move in unison, as they are connected by what are known as tendons, which are thin fibrous tissue. These tendons are prone to damage and inflammation known as tendinitis (this can cause inflammation in any organ). It can occur in any bone/joint but most common in areas which are prone for repetitive use including the wrists, arms, elbows, shoulder, knees, and ankles.

Read on to understand how it happens and how it can be managed.

Causes: Depending on the onset, tendinitis can be acute or chronic. Though it can occur in any individual, the risk increases with age, as bones lose their elasticity and can tear.

• Acute is caused by a sudden injury like a fall or accident or infections
• Chronic is caused by repetitive movements, poor posture, poor stretching, overuse, etc. Some common movements include carpentry, painting, golfing, tennis, gardening, lawn mowing, badminton, etc.

Symptoms: As with any inflammation, the symptoms of tendinitis would include swelling, pain, redness, and warmth. There is also a reduced range of motion of the affected joint, producing what is known as adhesive capsulitis.

Prevention: Tendinitis is preventable to some extent by avoiding repetitive work and overuse of the joint. Those who are used to a lazy week and an active weekend should definitely watch out. Sudden, excessive stress can cause tendinitis. The tendons should be subjected to limited stress and activity. With any kind of activity, if there is even a slight hint of pain or any issue, get it checked with the doctor. Continuing to do the same activity will only make it worse. Symptoms to watch for include fever, swollen and painful joints, and limited movement of the affected joint.

Management: If identified and arrested in the early stages, tendinitis can be managed conservatively. Progressive measures of treatment would include the following.

• As soon as there is discomfort identified, rest the joint and stop any activity, which you think could have caused the problem. Usually, this should help the condition to subside on its own. Ice and heat therapy can also help.
• If it is the ankle or the knee, keep it elevated.
• Pain killers may be taken if the pain cannot be tolerated or is affecting daily routine.
• After the initial week, mild exercises to strengthen the tendon can be started.
• Steroid injections may be required in cases where the joint pain and swelling is significant.
• As a last resort, if the above measures do not work, surgery may be recommended. This will again be followed by rest, medications, and physical therapy.

Bones and muscles, together known as the musculoskeletal system, are responsible for all bodily movements. The bones and muscles move in unison, as they are connected by what are known as tendons, which are thin fibrous tissue. These tendons are prone to damage and inflammation which are known as tendinitis (this can cause inflammation in any organ). It can occur in any bone/joint but most common in areas which are prone for repetitive use including the wrists, arms, elbows, shoulder, knees, and ankles.

Read on to understand how it happens and how it can be managed.

Causes: Depending on the onset, tendinitis can be acute or chronic. Though it can occur in any individual, the risk increases with age, as bones lose their elasticity and can tear.

• Acute is caused by a sudden injury like a fall or accident or infections
• Chronic is caused by repetitive movements, poor posture, poor stretching, overuse, etc. Some common movements include carpentry, painting, golfing, tennis, gardening, lawn mowing, badminton, etc.

Symptoms: As with any inflammation, the symptoms of tendinitis would include swelling, pain, redness, and warmth. There is also a reduced range of motion of the affected joint, producing what is known as adhesive capsulitis.

Prevention: Tendinitis is preventable to some extent by avoiding repetitive work and overuse of the joint. Those who are used to a lazy week and an active weekend should definitely watch out. Sudden, excessive stress can cause tendinitis. The tendons should be subjected to limited stress and activity. With any kind of activity, if there is even a slight hint of pain or any issue, get it checked with the doctor. Continuing to do the same activity will only make it worse. Symptoms to watch for include fever, swollen and painful joints, and limited movement of the affected joint.

Management: If identified and arrested in the early stages, tendinitis can be managed conservatively. Progressive measures of treatment would include the following.

• As soon as there is discomfort identified, rest the joint and stop any activity, which you think could have caused the problem. Usually, this should help the condition to subside on its own. Ice and heat therapy can also help.
• If it is the ankle or the knee, keep it elevated.
• Painkillers may be taken if the pain cannot be tolerated or is affecting daily routine.
• After the initial week, mild exercises to strengthen the tendon can be started.
• Steroid injections may be required in cases where joint pain and swelling is significant.
• As a last resort, if the above measures do not work, surgery may be recommended. This will again be followed by rest, medications, and physical therapy.

Bones and muscles, together known as the musculoskeletal system, are responsible for all bodily movements. The bones and muscles move in unison, as they are connected by what are known as tendons, which are thin fibrous tissue. These tendons are prone to damage and inflammation known as tendinitis (this can cause inflammation in any organ). It can occur in any bone/joint but most common in areas which are prone for repetitive use including the wrists, arms, elbows, shoulder, knees, and ankles.

Read on to understand how it happens and how it can be managed:

Causes

Depending on the onset, tendinitis can be acute or chronic. Though it can occur in any individual, the risk increases with age, as bones lose their elasticity and can tear.

• Acute is caused by a sudden injury like a fall or accident or infections
• Chronic is caused by repetitive movements, poor posture, poor stretching, overuse, etc. Some common movements include carpentry, painting, golfing, tennis, gardening, lawn mowing, badminton, etc.

Symptoms

As with any inflammation, the symptoms of tendinitis would include swelling, pain, redness, and warmth. There is also a reduced range of motion of the affected joint, producing what is known as adhesive capsulitis.

Prevention

Tendinitis is preventable to some extent by avoiding repetitive work and overuse of the joint. Those who are used to a lazy week and an active weekend should definitely watch out. Sudden, excessive stress can cause tendinitis. The tendons should be subjected to limited stress and activity. With any kind of activity, if there is even a slight hint of pain or any issue, get it checked with the doctor. Continuing to do the same activity will only make it worse. Symptoms to watch for include fever, swollen and painful joints, and limited movement of the affected joint.

Management

If identified and arrested in the early stages, tendinitis can be managed conservatively. Progressive measures of treatment would include the following.

• As soon as there is discomfort identified, rest the joint and stop any activity, which you think could have caused the problem. Usually, this should help the condition to subside on its own. Ice and heat therapy can also help.
• If it is the ankle or the knee, keep it elevated.
• Pain killers may be taken if the pain cannot be tolerated or is affecting daily routine.
• After the initial week, mild exercises to strengthen the tendon can be started.
• Steroid injections may be required in cases where the joint pain and swelling is significant.
• As a last resort, if the above measures do not work, surgery may be recommended. This will again be followed by rest, medications, and physical therapy.

The movement between bones and muscles is possible due to the fluid filled sacs that enable smooth gliding of the bones. When there is an inflammation of these sacs, condition known as bursitis results, leading to friction, reduced movement, painful movement, discomfort, and irritation.

Some of the common causes of bursitis include age, which brings along reduced elasticity of the tendons and ligaments.  Additionally, sudden injury to the bursa area, repetitive stress, overuse of the ligaments or tendons, incorrect posture, and improper exercise can all lead to bursitis.

The most commonly affected parts are the elbows, shoulders, hips, knees, and ankles. The dull, aching pain that ensues is accompanied by stiffness. Movement can worsen this pain.  The area can be red, hot, and swollen indicating infection. Whatever the area affected, some of the common ways to manage bursitis pain are listed below.

1. Rest: As soon as bursitis is identified, the area must be rested. As noted, in most cases, repetitive stress and injury is the most common cause, and resting the area really helps.
2. Ice only: If bursitis is happening for the first time, then an ice pack alone should help reduce the pain in 1 to 2 days.
3. Ice and moist heat: If it is happening repeatedly, then alternating moist heat and ice for 15 minutes each will help.  This can be done two to three times a day. 
4. Anti-inflammatories: In most cases, if rest and topical therapy are not working, then the regular anti-inflammatory agents may be given. 
5. Physical Therapy: In some cases, mild exercises can help reduce inflammation and pain. 
6. DMSO (dimethyl sulfoxide): This clear, colorless, oily liquid is made from wood pulp and helps in reducing the inflammation caused by bursitis. A 70% DMSO mixture can be applied with cotton on the affected area 3 times a day for 3 days, then 2 times a day for the next 3 days, and then 1 time a day for the next 3 days.  If there is no improvement in the first 3 days, it needs to be discontinued.
7. Foods to remove calcium deposits: In a number of cases, bursitis that is present for months or years is worsened due to the calcium deposits. Foods like apple cider vinegar can help dissolve the calcium deposits that could have formed in the bursa.
8. Steroids: Local injections of corticosteroids may be necessary in some cases. Though inflammation can be curtailed with this, there is always the fear of hampered immunity and altered sugar levels.
9. Surgical drainage: In very rare cases, the bursa may need to be surgically drained.

Bursitis is a very common issue and can be managed easily as well. Consult your doctor and avoid medicating on your own.

Achilles Tendon pain is an orthopedic condition that can originate from tears and ruptures to the AchillesTendon, which is known as one of the strongest and also the longest tendon in the human body. It is a band of tissues that decides the quality of your movements and motions to a great extent, as it connects the heel with the calf. Therefore, any injury to this tendon can decrease the strength and support to the muscles and create a painful situation. So how can you deal with this pain? Read on to know more.

• Rice Therapy: Rice is a commonly used term by orthopedic specialist. It refers to Rest, Ice, Compression with a bandage, and finally Elevation. The patient must take lots of rest as well as use ice packs to deal with the injury and acute pain. Finally, the area must be compressed with a bandage and kept elevated on cushions.
• Surgery: For very severe cases, the orthopedic specialist can recommend surgery as well. This kind of surgery aims at reattaching the displaced or ruptured tendon which may have reached such a fate through a sports or any other kind of injury. The doctor may also place your leg in a cast for a few weeks to keep it at complete rest. 
• Pain Medication: The doctor can also prescribe pain relievers that contain Ibuprofen as well as acetaminophen or even naproxen. These medicines should be taken in moderation as per the doctor's prescription. Usually, this kind of medication is taken only when unbearable pain is experienced by the patient.
• Thermotherapy or Heat Treatment: The use of heat for chronic pain or even pain that has been ailing for over 48 hours is known as thermotherapy. This therapy uses heating pads and hot water bottles to help relieve the pain. One must be careful while applying anything hot to the site of the injury. Use a towel to wrap the hot water bottle or heating pad so that there is no scalding or leaking on to the skin.
• Footwear: It is important to prevent continuous injury and pain to the already injured Achilles tendon. To do this, you must wear supportive and comfortable footwear that has heel lifts and other customized orthotics built into the shoes. 

Taking care of Achilles Tendon pain is a matter of taking various precautions and supportive actions that lead to better healing.

You might be an elite athlete or just a commoner. There is always a possibility for you to develop back pain while carrying out your daily activities. You might not be aware, but regular activities—like sitting at the computer, running on the treadmill or simply crawling into your bed for a good night's sleep—can affect the health of your spine. You are always at the risk of damaging your spine. These damages lead to back pain. It has been found that faulty postures can cause back pain by causing straining of the back muscles, injuring the tendons and damaging the vertebrae or ligaments. Back pain can be caused due to the overuse of a particular activity or for undertaking a new activity. Besides all these possibilities, most people put the blame on their discs for back pain.

What Are The Discs?

The human spine is composed of 24 bony vertebrae. These are placed one on top of the other. There is a thin intervertebral disc between each vertebrae. These discs look like jam doughnuts. They are made up of a hard outer shell known as the annulus fibrosis. They have a soft, jelly-like inner core known as the nucleus pulposus. They are shock absorbers.

What Happens To The Discs When An Injury Occurs?

The jelly-like soft core in the discs can often get shifted as a result of the accident or injury. Thus, the discs become a reason behind back pain. The pain could be due to the problems with the disc while carrying out tasks like 

1. Prolonged sitting

2. Bending

3. Lifting

4. Twisting

5. Pulling

Symptoms Of Disc-Related Pain:

Symptoms tend to vary due to the nature of the injury and the damage caused. However, some common symptoms have been listed below:

1. Localised back pain

2. Pain in thighs, lower legs and feet

3. Tingling sensations

4. Numbness or muscular weakness

Treatment-

It is best to consult a doctor to know about the treatment needed for back pain related to disc. Initial treatment after detection of the problem includes the following ways:

1. Intake of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory and pain medication.

2. Application of heat and ice packs.

3. Physiotherapy.

4. Home exercise program as suggested by the doctor.

5. Practicing of core and lumbar strengthening exercises.

One must stop movements that aggravate the pain and don’t take difficult physical activities. You must take adequate rest to set things right.

Do You Need Any Surgery?

It is not always needed for all disc related problems. Most issues with the disc vanish after a week. Surgery is sought only after nonsurgical treatments prove useless. The decision must be taken by a doctor.

Muscle sprains and ligament tears are one of the most common injuries that medical practitioners encounter on a regular basis. These injuries are painful and can also limit one’s movement, needless to say. However, there are simple things that can be done as soon as the injury happens so that the impact of the injury can be reduced, the symptoms minimised, and recovery improved.

A sprain is a tear of the ligament. The ligament is responsible for connecting the tissue strands that connect the bone to the muscle. When this sprain affects the muscle or even the tendon, it is known as a strain.
Sprains are very common and can occur due to a fall, twist, or impact. Most commonly affected areas are the ankles and wrists. Sprains happen when there is a pull or a twist of the ankle or the joint. This is very common in athletes and can be caused by repetitive motions in the knees, wrists, elbows, etc.

The most common symptom is pain, swelling, limited movement, and sometimes bruising. The degree of these injuries depends on its severity. The most common ways to treat such injuries are as follows.

1. RICE therapy: RICE is an acronym for rest, ice, compress, and elevate. Rest the affected area immediately by stopping any further activity. Ice the area using an ice wrap, with the ice cubes wrapped in a towel or a cotton cloth. Repeat this exercise if possible for every 20 minutes. This will reduce the swelling and pain. Compress the area using a sling or a wrap. This will help in reducing the swelling. Elevate the affected area if possible above the heart. This will help control the blood flow and thereby reduce the swelling and pain.
2. Pain control: If there is pain that needs medication, go for the non-steroidal drugs like ibuprofen or acetaminophen. If it is a child that is injured, it is advisable to give non-aspirin ones.
3. Seek professional help: Most sprains can be self-limiting over a couple of days. However, it is advisable to seek medical help if there is significant pain, swelling, or numbness, open wounds or bruises, or inability to move the joint.

The doctor may decide to do the following.

1. Scanning or imaging to rule out any internal hard/soft tissue injury like fracture or tear
2. Immobilise the joint with a splint or a cast
3. Start physical therapy if there is severe pain and immobility
4. Surgical repair if there is a ligament injury

A word of caution to athletes or people who are very active physically is to go easy on the joint. In an eagerness to quickly get back to their routine, more and severe damage may be caused. This can be avoided by allowing time for complete healing.
 

In the technologically advanced era one lives in, it is pretty much easy to use up one’s entire day glued to the digital screens; right from checking the social media updates while commuting to sitting before the computer for everyday work. Yet nobody is aware of the fact that apart from creating a social gap, these electronic gadgets can take a toll on their postures too.

1. You lean against your desks with your neck leaned forward in an attempt to grasp what is on the computer screen and your hand on your mouse scrunched up on one side. Sadly, human body was never designed to pose in such a consorted way resulting in adverse side effects.
2. The head usually weighs 10 to 12 pounds on an average when it is balanced evenly over the shoulders. However, with each extra tilt forward, the weight on your spine might escalate up to 60 pounds and even beyond that. Excessive weight on the spine can lead to its subsequent collapse.
3. Too much use of tablets and smart phones for swiping or texting can cause inflamed index fingers, thumb joints and tendons. You tend to suffer from wrist pain, enfeebled grip or popping sound while moving the fingers. Typing with one thumb without giving considerable breaks in between can also exert stress on the fingers.
4. Hunched over, shoulders slumped and necks bent down are the ways majority of the people use their electronic gadgets. This can trigger misalignment of the spine aggravating your health. Spine protects the nervous system, coordinating and controlling various functions of the body. Any sort of disruption might render a drastic consequence.
5. Poor posture impacts the ligaments and muscles in a negative way giving way to a series of complications such as gastrointestinal problems, back or neck pain or severe curvature of the spine, heightening the risk of arterial or pulmonary problems.

Muscle strain or muscle pull is a condition, which is characterized by damage to the muscles or its adjoining tendons. Undue pressure can be exerted on the muscle when you are carrying out routine activities such as sudden lifting of heavy things or playing contact sports. The damage to the muscle is usually in the form of partial or complete tearing of the tendons and fibres attached to the muscles. The small blood vessels in the muscles can also be damaged by the tearing of the muscles, leading to local bleeding and bruising.

The symptoms of muscle pain are:

1. You will experience pain even while resting
2. There will be bruising, swelling and redness around the affected area
3. You will experience weakness of the muscles and tendons
4. The movement and mobility of the muscle will be impaired
5. You will experience pain when you use the affected muscles

The causes of a muscle strain are:

1. Playing contact sports can lead to injuries
2. Lifting heavy things
3. Exercising without a proper warm up routine
4. Lifting extremely heavy weights during exercise without proper acclimatization
5. Sleeping on one side only for a long period of time
6. Not stretching properly
7. Falling from a height

The treatments for muscle strains are:

1. Pain medications: You can opt for pain relieving medications such as non-steroidal anti-inflammatory medications to help combat the associated pain of a muscle strain.
2. Rice: Rice stands for rest, ice, compression and elevation. This treatment is usually the first step after suffering a strain, before opting for medications. This treatment prevents further aggravation of the problem.
3. Compress: You can alternate between hot and cold compress to reduce the swelling and pain.
4. Stretches: Once the affected area has healed, it is important for you to stretch the muscles to improve their mobility and strength.