Therapies... - Massage - Tendinitis

Tendinitis is defined as an inflammatory condition of the tendons as a result of repeated microtrauma. It is also referred to as a repetitive strain injury. There is resultant painful scarring within the tendon and pain upon use of the affected muscle.

Tendons have a limited blood supply, and thus, the healing process is prolonged. People often return to activity before healing is complete, re-injuring the tendon. Adhesion formation is common.

Tendinitis usually presents gradually. Pain is present mostly when the affected muscle is contracting. You may feel a dull ache or no pain when the muscle is at rest. The muscle is weak and the range of motion of the joint(s) crossed by the muscle may be reduced. Heat, redness, and swelling are often present. If left untreated the condition may lead to partial loss of function, reflex hypertrophy of the muscle (not the desired kind of hypertrophy), or degeneration of the tendon.

Your therapist will perform specific tests and palpate the area to get a feel for how great the trauma is and what degree of scarring may be present. He/she will also assess how the injury has affected the biomechanics of the area and muscle strength.

Massage can be used to decrease inflammation and swelling if present. Adhesions and scar tissue can be reduced using a variety of methods. One methods often used to reduce scar tissue is called frictioning. Essentially, the scar tissue is manually broken down and the resulting inflammatory process is controlled and used to realign scar tissue to reduce restriction. (Due to the potentially deep nature of this particular method and because of the ensuing inflammation, it is imperative to inform your therapist about all anti-inflammatory medication or analgesics you may be using at the time.) Hypertonicity and spasm can be reduced via a reduction in sympathetic nervous system firing. Trigger points in the affected and adjacent muscles should also be attended to. Circulation to compromised tissue should be increased to hasten healing.

Your therapist can help with maintaining range of motion in affected joints to maintain cartilage health and prevent contractures. Long-term goals would include restoring muscle strength, length, and complete range of motion of joints. You should also discuss any perpetuating factors with your therapist to prevent recurrence. Your therapist can also prescribe appropriate hydrotherapy and remedial exercises you can do at home to reduce healing time.