Tendonitis

[EBass]

What's the best way to relieve tendonitis? I heard really light weights and 30+ reps and lactic acid will break it down. But I can't lift 3lb dumbells w/o looking like a whimp. So I always increase then deal with the pain.

Anyone else deal with it and have any tips?

[RiverFish]

Tendonitis is typically an overuse injury. You have to get rid of the inflammation. Lactic acid to my knowledge does not reduce inflammation. Rest, ice, NDAIDs(ibuprofen).

[nofishfisherman]

I have tendonitis issues in my shoulder and my knee.

I've never heard anything about lactic acid breaking it down. Not even sure how that would be possible since tendonitis is inflimation in a tendon. You need to let that inflamation subside before doing much of anything or you are going to keep irritating the tendon.

From my experience when my shoulder is really bothering me the best course of action is rest, ice, and ibuprofen. Once the inflamation subsides I start with VERY light activity to slowly strengthen the muscles around the tendon and to regain some range of motion. I'm talking very light to start and plenty of ice and ibuprofen afterward. You need to prevent it from inflaming again and causing a setback. I tend to be cautious because it can be pretty painful and when it gets really bad my shoulder is pretty much useless. There are times when I couldn't even reach out to answer my phone at work with out wincing in pain.

In my knee I have patella tendonitis (runners knee). That doesn't really bother me during most exercise only when I get crazy with squats or something like that. For the most part it only bothers me when I stand up after sitting for a long time or when going up or down stairs. I do pay attention to it when lifting but it doesn't hold me back too much. If it were to get worse I'd dial back the lifting until the inflamation went down and then slowly amp it back up.

[SledNeck]

celebrex

its a miricle drug

[Northlander]

RICE

[fishing tech]

If it is in your elbow you can buy a rap to use. It holds the tendon in place while you are using your arm. Then take ibuprophen and you should be good in a couple weeks. Take to the pharmacist when use buy the rap. At work we usually just use electrical tape.

[CANOPY SAM]

Oh my. I've fought with tendonitis in both forearms a couple times over the years. I had it B.A.D., bad! For many months I couldn't even grab and lift a milk carton.

Original injury came from fleshing out a deer cape on the garage floor in really cold weather. Exacerbated it a few years later running a chain saw for several days.

Physical therapy helped me a little. The arm bands were okay, but I found the snug fitting elastic material to be very irritating to the skin, and it almost constantly itched and irritated.

I finally had to relent and do almost nothing strenuous for about 6-8 months. For someone like me this was extremely difficult. I enjoy strenuous physical activity, working with my hands, and doing big indoor/outdoor projects.

I also had two rounds of steroid injections in both elbows. These provided remarkable relief after a week or so, but ultimately are only a temporary fix, and once I had a reaction to the injection, on one elbow, and it made the pain and discomfort ten times worse for a couple weeks.

After a bit more research, I found that steroid injections are really not a safe procedure over the long haul. Evidently, over time, steroid injections, although they quickly decrease inflammation, actually make the tendon itself less flexible and pliable, and more brittle, and apt to break altogether. I also show signs of permanent damage to the skin covering the sights of both injections. I cannot get further steroid injections for anything, and I probably wouldn't even if I could.

Long story short, very little to no strain on the tendons for a very long time, heat, ice, heat, etc., and an occasional ibuprofen. Be extremely patient. You can re-injure a tendon injury many months after nagging symptoms have resolved.

Best of luck to you my friend. Believe me, I feel your pain.

[TyGuy02]

I had tendonitis in my ankles really bad this summer after thinking I was 18 again and running too much on a treadmill with bad shoes. I couldn't even go down a flight of stairs (had to slide down on butt...pretty funny to see). If rest, ice, compression and elevation don't help with ibuprofen, get it checked out and a doc might prescribe a more powerful NSAID (nonsteroidal anti inflammatory). I got sulindac and it worked for me. REST REST REST! if you can still lift small weights with it, probably isn't too bad, but take it easy!

[TR21HP]

There is another alternative and it is called graston. It is administered by a chiropractor or physical therapist usually and involves pressuring the injured area with medical tools that relieve the inflamation and promote healing. No one should have to sit for 6 months with tendonitis.

[HooknHorns]

I had a bout with this in a bicep tendon next to my elbow. Could not go with a steroid injection and it took almost a year to get rid of it. It led to me being foolish and falling cause i lost my grip which broke my shoulder in the same arm. I then didnt have a choice so it got rest it needed, took NSAIDs and iced it 3 times a dayfor 20min a crack. Good luck

[EBass]

I've see a chrio for this a few times and had the "graston" technique and ART (Active Release Technique). It helps a little but deep down I can feel it ache and it's sore and tight. Sometimes it feels like there's water on my forearm, but it's not wet. Weird sensation to say the least.

It all started with reverse curls 2 years ago and then bass fishing this year and pitching a jig for 3 days in a row. It's never been the same and sometimes hurts to push open a door or lift the handle on the sink. It's better now since I haven't done much in the past couple months, but if I work out one time it all come back.

I need phys therapy, but I don't believe insurance covers that. It doesn't cover massages.

[rangerforme]

The only way to get rid of it is to stop doing stuff that aggravates is(Rest, Ice, Advil). Then once it doesn't hurt you need to stretch and strenghten. I dealt with it for years as a computer programmer, eventually after a few months off i was able to change how I worked and have been good ever since. Big thing to remember is once something starts to hurt you gotta stop or it just is a cycle of worse and worse.

[CANOPY SAM]

Yea. I have a good friend that's a physical therapist, and another that's a chiropractor. They both suggested the Graston Procedures, but after hearing how it's done I opted away from it. I've heard the procedure itself can be significantly more painful than the tendonitis itself.

Long story short, tendonitis is a MAJOR drag!

[TR21HP]

A good therapist will take you through the procedure gradually and should understand the severity of application and the pain associated with it but it has proved to be the answer for a few friends I suggested it to to relieve not onlt tendonitis but tendonosis as well.

[graf703]

As a chiropractor I give votes to active release therapy, graston technique, or some of the other offshoots of those treatments. Lots of us use parts of that type of care without the certification and have alternative tools that get deep into the tissue.

Depending on the individual's ability to heal, the severity of the injury, and the limitations currently used I would give a couple months for the treatment to fully work.

I would expect some discomfort/pain from the treatments. If you have severely irritated/damaged tissue it probably should hurt if someone is trying to restructure the scar tissue.

I wouldn't be surprised if cold laser works well for it. I don't have it in my office, but I've heard great things.

The other thing a lot of people overlook is nutrition. Your body needs different amounts many nutrients every day. If you have a soft tissue injury you may need to fuel the machine with something specifically designed for repair.

[amateurfishing]

if bad enuff, tendonitus can suck

I totally agree with rangerforme

i had it so bad while working overnight stocking shift i almost started to drop stuff. it was misdiagnosed twice, then a friend came to see me at my job and i could not even shake his hand, thats when i said enuff and someting seriuously wrong. went to urgent care and diagnosed as "tennis elbow" tendonitus, had cortizone shot (which was worthless) put arm in sling for immobilization, and had 3 months of physical therapy and not allowed to lift more than 3-5 pounds with right arm/hand. It takes lots of rest and once the pain subsides then slowly add in stretching rehab, and if it ever gets overdone & sore again then rest, ice, meds, arm band, whatever works for you to help mitigate and manage the pain. I look at it as a sprain of your tendon and the more its aggravated or you try & use it when its inflamed, the longer you are prolonging the healing process and if really bad it can take a while. for my physical therapy appts they put icy hot on elbow then would massage the tendon area to help make more comfy and loosen it up. then did the stretching excersise of putting arm straight in fromt of you and facing fingers straight up or down and slowly bending tips of fingers back toward you with other hand. i still do this on occasion to help work out stiffness as needed. doc told me once he saw it so bad his patients daugher was getting married in a week and doc ordered him not allowing to shake any hands at his daughters wedding or it would flare up again and be another 4 months to start healing process all over again. it can get really bad

[DrJuice1980]

RICE

This method has been around for how many years? Has it offered anything more than symptom relief? No. RICE only treats the symptom, not the origin. If you are only looking for pain relief at that time, than ok RICE it is. If you ever want to rid yourself of pain you need to try something else. Many people only focus on the pain or mobility issues not why it is happening. You are dealing with something that is neurological. You are dealing with certain muscles/ligaments/tendons not being used the way they should. Will medication correct this? Nope. Will physical therapy correct this? No. It will bring you to a certain point and you will hit a wall but until you go through a neuromuscular re-education treatment program where you are re-training neurologically how your body is compensating now to how your body should function you are always going to have pain or limitations. Has physical therapy ever really cured anybody? Maybe a tiny percentage but if you have ever had it prescribed most likely your Dr or PT told you it would only be able to offer so much relief. Tendonitis is nothing natural, your body was made to work a certain way and tendonitis is one of the outcomes when it is not functioning properly.

PM me if you want to know more. I can direct you to a place where in 10-20 days it is no longer present.

[CANOPY SAM]

I love this stuff. I've been in medicine for 17 years. I've studied anatomy, physiology, blah, blah, blah, and every other "ology" you can name. I have a Bachelor's degree in Clinical Laboratory Sciences, and double minors in mathematics and chemistry, and am only a few credits shy of a double major to include Biology.

I've personally experienced two terrible bouts with tendonitis in both elbows that was debilitating to the point of almost complete shutdown. I know specifically what caused it, what specifically exacerbated it, and specifically what eventually resolved it.

DrJuice, with all due respect, tendonitis isn't a neurological issue. It's an injury caused by overuse, or improper use of a specific tissue in the human body. If tendonitis were related to improper motion due to a neurological defect in muscle guidance or training, then why don't little kids all over the world suffer from severe tendonitis? After all, their little bodies are just learning how to move. The reason they don't is that their tendons are fresh, young, and extremely elastic.

As we age, so do our tissues, and as such they are more prone to wearing and injury = pain if we overdue something. The same things we did years ago, doing them the same way now, cause us pain and fatigue, where they didn't bother us a bit while we were young.

The old phrase "Pain is your friend" is essentially true. Pain not so gently reminds us that we're damaging our tissues, bones, organs, and we'd better stop what we're doing, and allow time for the body to heal, and avoid the same behavior in the future, or suffer the same consequences.

Just like all the new diet programs, and quick fix weight loss ideas, it really boils down to a simple equation. Eat fewer calories than you burn in a day, and you'll lose weight. Eat more calories then you burn in a day, and you'll gain weight.

Don't allow your body the time needed to completely heal from a deep tissue injury, try to quick fix, or short change the healing process, you'll very likely continue to struggle with the same nagging pain that just never seems to get any better.

Perhaps your miracle cure works, but it really boils down to simple anatomy and physiology. If the medical community could offer a non-pharmaceutical rapid remedy to tendonitis I believe they would have done so long ago. And yes, physical therapy has helped, relieved, and cured millions of people's health related issues, just not ALL of them.

I've said my peace. I'll say no more.

[DrJuice1980]

Tendonitis isn't neurological? Completely false. Overuse/improper use is neurological, you are training your body to recognize an unnatural pattern. You trained your body to fuction a certain way for any movement that you do and while that is happening force is being absorbed in areas it is not ment to. Do you know how your muscles function? Do you know how your muscles/soft tissue receive communication and respond to that? The communication is neurological communication. Why does one wear cartilage down in their knee and somebody the same age doesnt? Your comment on kids proves the facts, however you are completely wrong with the "learning how to move" remark. We as humans are bipedal. It means we are made to walk on 2 feet, we already know how to move. You should have learned about that in all of your studies. I have personally worked with individuals in their later 20's whos knees are worn down more than individuals in their 80's. Explain to me why that happends? Is that neurological? Absolutly, why is it? Simple, if you have an injury or do a repetitive movement your body forms compensation patterns meaning you are changing the way you were natuarlly made to function. Muscles are our shock absorbers nothing else, muscles are made to protect joints, ligaments, tendons from damage/injury.... Because we have changed those neurological messages that are supposed to be sent, other soft tissues or muscles that are not ment to perform that task, must. Something has to right, it cant just go into the ground to absorb it. What is muscle re-education? If we are re-educating wouldnt that mean that we are training our body BACK to how we are suppose to work? I do not have a miracle cure, it is actually a lot of work and not many people have the attitude for it. Dont be so closed minded. Ive read many of your posts and it seems you are a pretty good guy, dont discredit something that you dont know of. I will leave it at that and PM you some details.

[nofishfisherman]

DrJuice, do you mind sharing what your background is? Obviously you seem to know what you are talking about, I think it would be beneficial to know a little of what your background is and what experience you have. It might help lend some credibility to what you are saying.

Also what sort of techinques are you talking about using that are effective for tendonitis? Can you give us some idea of what they are, how they are done, and how they actually heal the body?

I know in past posts people mention the gastron treatment. I had to look it up to see what it is and on the surface I have no idea how that would be effective on the issues I've dealt with.

[CANOPY SAM]

No offense intended Dr.Juice, and none taken. I have no intention of arguing this point to death. Like I stated above, perhaps the methods you are familiar with do work? I don't know. It sounds like you've had documented successes, and for that my hat's off to you.

However similar we all are in make-up, we are certainly very different in many, many ways. Including the essential building blocks of our tissue.

Stand someone like Brock Leznar alongside someone like Stephen Hawkening and I believe you can self-answer the question of how one individual is blessed with extremely healthy, strong tissue, while the other is not.

How one person's connective tissues are radically worn down, or damaged by essentially the same movements that cause no marked wear on another persons same tissue...this is a function of the brain and chemical interaction? Please forgive me, I just don't see it. You are correct. It's not something I've ever come across in text books.

There are so many variables we couldn't possibly discuss them all here. Auto-immune disease, circulatory disorders, arthritis, genetics, infection, or simple diet, activity level, etc...the list could cover many pages.

I'll peacefully leave it at this...anyone suffering from chronic tendonitis may find relief and healing in Dr.Juice's suggestions. I sincerely hope they do. I wouldn't wish nagging tendonitis on my worst enemy.

[DrJuice1980]

I would rather not advertise my place of employment on a forum. I will PM you. But Shaq at 300+lbs and 7+ft played 20 years for a reason and Yao Ming did not.

[nofishfisherman]

Place of employment isn't important. I'm just curious about your background to help understand what perspective you're speaking from.

Are you able to share any insight on what techniques you are talking about? Are they industry standard techniques or some propritery technique?

Feel free to PM me if you'd rather not share it for all to see.

[DrJuice1980]

there is nothing standard with it, neuromuscular soft tissue therapy, neurological muscle re-education. I PM'd you

[PierBridge]

I'm assuming you are a Chiropractor?

Quote:

I would rather not advertise my place of employment on a forum. I will PM you. But Shaq at 300+lbs and 7+ft played 20 years for a reason and Yao Ming did not

I hope you have more than that because there are a ton of variables along with genetics and luck involved there.

I'm not saying your methods won't or haven't worked but to totally discount what Sam said is a bit much for me at this point.

And again thanks for taking the time to enlighten us on other potential remedy's.