WHAT IS TENDONITIS?

Tendonitis occurs when your tendon is strained, torn, or hit. This causes pain, swelling, warmth, and redness, known as the inflammatory response. When inflammation occurs in your tendon, it is called tendonitis.

Tendons connect muscles to bones. They are very strong with only a small amount of stretch to them. Each tendon is surrounded by a sheath. As you move the tendon glides within the sheath. Injury to a tendon is often caused by repetitive movements, very quick movements, strong effort, stretching or hitting a tense muscle, or unnatural movement. These types of movements often occur during sports and some types of jobs.

When a tendon is stressed too much, tiny fibres in the tendon tear. The more your tendon is stressed, the more fibres are torn. This weakens your tendon, and the sheath surrounding the tendon becomes irritated and inflamed.

Right after an injury, the inflammatory response starts and lasts about a day. During the next two weeks, scar tissue grows in the injured area. During this time your muscle needs to rest to allow the healing to take place. Once repair is finished, gentle movement of your tendon should start to reduce the amount of scar tissue that grows.

THE TREATMENT PLAN

• PREVENTION
  

  Changing your environment or the way you do things could be key to avoiding further injury to your tendon.

  REVIEW OF JOB DEMANDS: Can any adaptations be made to the workplace, or home environment?

• Change in location and position of equipment
• Shortened work day and activities
• Rotating work stations and activities (heavy to light)
• Modify work habits (avoid unnecessary repetition)
• Splint for support while working
• More frequent rest/stretch breaks
• Energy conservation and joint protection techniques