How to protect our tendons?

Most of us have probably heard of such sports injuries as jumper’s knee and tennis elbow. These are just two examples of tendinitis, a painful condition due to overuse and stress on the joints. p>

Tendons are strong but flexible thin ribbons that connect muscles and bones. A person has about 4,000 tendons in their body. They enable each of us to bend our knee, rotate our shoulder, and make a fist.

Tendinitis is inflammation of tendons. In this disease, the tendon becomes inflamed and can begin to rub against the bones due to its swelling, making movements painful.

Tendinitis is usually caused by repeating the same movements over the years, by stress or injury to certain muscles and joints.

An injury during sports or at work is among the most common ways to acquire tendinitis. But most orthopedists are of the opinion that tendons lose their health with age, as they lose their elasticity and have a harder time handling loads.

Any activity that requires repetitive twisting of the wrist or gripping, jumping, bending, pulling, pushing or lifting can irritate the tendons. The hands, elbows, wrists, knees and ankles are most often affected.

Gardeners, carpenters, musicians and others whose work involves the same tendons are at increased risk of developing arthritis.

If treated promptly, tendinitis is usually a disease that resolves quickly. But it can recur if the tendon is stressed over and over again.

If the inflammation affects the same tendon over time, it may weaken or tear.
If you experience pain or swelling and especially if you cannot move the joint you should seek medical attention.

Doctors can perform tests to pinpoint the exact areas of inflammation. They may also order an X-ray to check for a tear in the tendon and to rule out conditions such as arthritis.

The first step in tendinitis treatment is aimed at reducing pain and swelling. The swollen tendon should be allowed to rest so it can heal. The cycle of inflammation must be broken for the therapy to be effective.

Doctors will usually prescribe medications that relieve inflammation, such as aspirin or ibuprofen, or prescribe corticosteroid injections or recommend a splint or brace. In such cases, careful and properly performed exercises can help strengthen the tendon.

If the tendon tears, surgical treatment may be necessary to repair the damage. American scientists are working on a project to develop new ways to correct and regenerate tendons without surgery.

Regular physical activity helps maintain the strength and elasticity of muscles, bones and tendons. This reduces the risk of injury and tendinitis. But be careful, don’t overdo it so you don’t hurt yourself.

Keep your joints flexible by warming up and stretching before physical activity to prevent sudden injury.

Prevention of tendinitis

• Exercise regularly to strengthen the muscles around the tendons;
• When you do physical exercises, slowly increase their intensity;
• Position your body correctly when performing your daily tasks;
• Take frequent breaks during repetitive exercises or movements;
• It is not recommended to perform activities that cause you pain;