One of the most common injuries that we encounter at Optimum Performance in Surrey is tendonitis; this is an injury to the tendons that has been caused through stress or more commonly overuse of the tendon.
Tendonitis is a general term to describe the inflammation of the tendon, which is a thick rope-like tissue that attaches our bone to our muscle. We often see this injury in sports people when there is a greater strain/repetition on particular movements; or older people, as a result of the tendons losing their elasticity. Diseases, such as rheumatoid arthritis or diabetes, can also lead to tendonitis.
Although tendonitis can occur in any tendon, the most commonly affected areas are:
– The elbow (this injury can be referred to golfers’ elbow or tennis elbow as many golfers and tennis struggle with a repetitive strain injury from the overuse of the same movement through the elbow)
– The heel (Achilles’ tendonitis)
– The knee
– The shoulder
– The thumb
– The wrist
The main symptom on tendonitis is a localised, sharp pain at the site of the injured tendon. Pain can occur most commonly during but also at night/any time; the pain can be chronic or can cone suddenly. The tendon can also swell, become warm and tender and in some cases become red; this is because of the dilation of the capillaries that occur as part of the inflammatory process.
At Optimum Performance we have a shockwave therapy treatment which is ideal for diagnosis of tendonitis but also treatment. It works by breaking down the scar tissue that forms as a result of the tendon becoming inflamed. Shockwave treatment is the most effective form of non-invasive treatment for tendonitis and we have seen great success within our clinic in Surrey.