Tendinitis

[snowroo]

If you've had experience, how long did it take to get better.

[BikingNurse]

With Rx anti inflammatories last spring it took about 1 week. but I also stopped aggrivating it for that week. My problem was in my ankle. This spring I went to clipless and Haven't had a problem with it.

[tulip]

Really bad case in my wrist and elbow from typing too much. Took a couple of months of PT and rest to fully heal up. I still have to be careful about too much typing, and I wear a wrist brace when I sleep. There aren't any short cuts--rest is very important. So is stopping the movements that lead to the tendinitis in the first place.

[snowroo]

Biking is causing the tendinitis. I don't want to stop that! It's in my hands.

Had to stop running due to tendinitis in my feet.

Swimming aggrevates my neck.

Darn body wants to be a couch potato.

[OakLeaf]

If you want it to heal you need to rest it. But there are limits to that, too. You need to maintain the flexibility and the muscle strength so when the tendon does heal you won't immediately re-injure it, and you need to move the hand enough throughout the day to circulate blood and lymphatic fluid through the injured area.

The key is you must ABSOLUTELY refrain from the activities that caused it to begin with, and that aggravate it while it's healing. Have you had a fitting done on your bike? If so, go back to the fitter and explain the issues you're having. Has your PT/OT observed you going about your activities of daily living and tried to correct movement patterns that are aggravating your tendinitis?

Massage your hands and forearms with a spiky ball to release the trigger points that are locking the tendons short. Whenever you find a trigger point - a hard, very tender point - give it extra attention. It will hurt like !@#$%. Stretch after the massage. Do the exercises your PT gave you religiously, and when the strengthening exercises stop being challenging, make sure you ask for increased resistance, even if you're already back "within normal limits" as far as their charts go.

The same thing would be true of your feet. It's unlikely that you can't run at all... much more likely that you need to release trigger points in the feet and calves, strengthen your hips, and correct your form, your shoes, or probably both.

You might take a look at your nutrition also and examine whether that's making you more prone to tendinitis...

[NbyNW]

+1 the trigger point stuff can be very effective. For my forearm, I don't have a spiky ball -- I use a tennis ball and work it between my forearm and the wall, using my body for leverage.

[rocknrollgirl]

I battled it for a year in my knee because I did not heed my bodies warning. two rounds of PT and a lot of frustration later, I have learned to listen.

[snowroo]

Thanks for your help.

I have loose ucl ligaments. I hurt them 10 years ago. The plastic surgeon then had me splint it 24/7 for 4 months. This worked great until I did a 45km kayak last year.

I saw a bike fitter who is a PT. Saw another PT who suggested strengthening exercises. I think I aggregated it using the theraputty exercises.

So do I immobilze again or immobilize only on activity?

What are the trigger points?

[polly4711]

So do I immobilze again or immobilize only on activity?

This has always been my problem... I've had tendinitis in my knee for 12 years. I have had to take three weeks off since i did the MS 150 because my knee was so bad. Can't run, that's why I bike also.

Oh, and Biofreeze is amazing!

[OakLeaf]

Basically, trigger points are overstimulated areas or "knots" in the fascia. They keep the muscles from fully relaxing and pull everything out of alignment. Often they'll refer pain to other areas. Fascia connect muscle to tendon, which is why trigger points are often involved in tendinitis.

You can often feel them externally as lumps in the muscle, especially when you go deep. You can definitely feel pain when you press on them! The simplest way is to roll out the whole muscle group and give extra attention to the trigger points as you find them. A spiky ball is especially useful for places with a lot of small muscles like the hands and feet, but NbyNW is right, a tennis ball or golf ball is good for the arms, chest and shoulders; for large muscles like the IT band area, a foam roller or larger ball.

[snowroo]

Thank you all so much for your help.

I kept it immobilized for a week and it went away as quickly as it started. I'm suprised at HOW painful that was. It was as bad as when I've broken a bone. Crazy.

Anyway, I'll keep up the strengthening exercises and will splint it when I'm riding for now.

Many thanks

[MommyBird]

I had it in my knee in college in the early 1980s. Dr. made me quit running and playing racket ball until it went away. Took a couple of weeks off. It quickly came back so I took about a month off and have not experienced it since.

Persistent plantar faciitis has put a stop to my running.