Sunday, November 29, 2009

Tendon Strain: The Pain Can Affect Anyone

By Tom Nicholson

Tendon strain is a common injury that can occur from misuse, most often from a sports injury. For instance, the Achilles tendon that connects the anklebone to the calf muscles are most often injured by basketball players.

When such an injury takes place, usually rest of the body part is indicated, as is putting ice on it. The part is then often wrapped which offers some pain relief as well as preventing swelling. Finally, the injured part is elevated above the heart, if possible, as that too prevents swelling and minimizes the pain.

Putting stress on any tendon is likely to result in an injury if a repetitive activity is emphasized too much or if something happens to overstretch the tendon quickly. This would happen for example if a weightlifter continued to work out the tendon every day, regardless of the warning of pain. Pain indicates that rest is needed by the body in order to repair the injured tissue. To prevent tendon strain, a body must be conditioned for it. This is why too, even professional dancers stretch prior to rehearsal or a performance.

Tendon strain or injury is easy to diagnose while looking at the loss of motion as well as pain someone may feel. However, further testing may be required by the use of such tests as an ultrasound, MRI and even x-rays. Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs or NSAIDs are generally prescribed for the condition.

Once healed, through care of the affected area, or through surgery, a surgeon may advise the stretching and strengthening of the injured muscles through recommended daily exercises. Exercises are frequently done in warm water to prevent re-injury. Sometimes, it will be necessary to visit a physical therapist to ascertain that the exercises are done properly. The therapy involved may not just involve exercises either. It is common for ultrasound therapy, stretching, running and gait re-education, soft tissue massages to occur too, all depending on what caused the injury. Splints of various kinds are also used, as are local injections of cortisone as well as a numbing medicine may be injected also.

Soft-tissue massage or mobilization, stretching and strengthening exercises, gait or running re-education or even ultrasound therapy may be included in the physical therapy. Your physician or surgeon may suggest wearing special made shoes to aid in the healing of Achilles tendon injuries and these shoes may be suitable for certain activities, such as basketball or running shoes. Wearing these shoes may help to prevent a reoccurring injury or condition. It is vital to try to prevent such injuries that involve tendon strain since fifty percent of these injuries occur while playing sports.

Golfers elbow or tennis elbow is two common examples of such sports injuries that occur while misusing the sporting equipment. Regardless of the cause of tendon strain for sporting accident, the treatments are the same.

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