You have a lot of tendons around your body, and they each have a very specific job to do. You typically do not need to go through your day giving your tendons much thought. However, when they become painful, they can consume your mind. Sometimes they suffer from the strain that comes with overuse, while other times they struggle to recover after an injury. If you struggle with tendon pain, know that you need to get it checked out. If you ignore the pain, the problem is very likely to get worse. You need to go in and get the pain checked out. That way, you can recover and get back to the quality of life you deserve.
What Type of Tissues Are in Tendons?
The tendons in your body are made up of bunches of fibers. Each of those fibers is made up of strands of collagen. Many strands of collagen bunch together to create bands. Then, many bands bunch together and twist to create a tendon. This is what gives your tendons so much strength. The job of a tendon is to attach muscle to different structures within your body. Some tendons attach your muscles to your bones, while others attach to structures in your body, like your eye. The tendon is responsible for transferring any force created during muscle contractions, and putting it into the attached structure, such as bones. That is how movement is created.
Taking Care of Tendons
You need to care for the tendons that you have. They are not flexible, but you do have some wiggle room in them. The more you stretch them out, the more responsive they are when you need them. If you never stretch them out, if you ever put pressure on them in a stressful situation, they could wind up injured. The best thing that you can do to avoid the pain that comes with a tendon injury is to make sure your body is used to being used. This means going through and exercising regularly, plus stretching on a daily basis. These activities will not increase the flexibility of the tendon. Rather, it will allow it to respond properly when put under strain.
You have tendons in nearly every part of your body. This means that you need to make sure you stretch out your whole body. You cannot just stretch your legs and expect to avoid a neck injury by turning to look at something too quickly. Take five minutes and stretch every part of your body so that your body is warm. This lets your body respond better. Ideally, you should stretch when you first get up, as this helps prime your body for the day.
By taking the time to exercise each day, you keep your tendons responsive, too. This gives your body the ability to remain strong, even when pushed to new heights. That includes how your tendons respond when you move around. Going out for regular walks a few days a week is a good start. If you want to do more exercises, make sure that you do full-body workouts so that each part of your body keeps moving fluidly.
Injuries That Are Common for Tendons
Any of the tendons you have in your body could succumb to injury. That said, some tend to get hurt more regularly than others. Some of the more commonly injured tendons include those supporting your knees and heels, wrists and elbows, and your shoulders. Occasionally, a tendon will face injury because of overuse. However, repeated use that extends your tendon fully can also lead to an injury.
Accidents can also cause tendon injuries. Falling down stairs or even getting into an automobile accident can leave you facing tendon injuries. These injuries can leave your tendons painfully inflamed. This makes moving painful, and can cause you to stop moving. Unfortunately, this causes the tendon inflammation to get worse. When you struggle with tendon pain, you need to perform exercises and stretches to teach it to work properly again. This should be done by going in and getting physical therapy.
You can also struggle with tendon pain as a result of simple aging. The older we get, the more diseases we struggle with, and the more difficult moving becomes. Diseases like arthritis can cause tendons to get stiffer, causing more pain with movement. This tends to lead to a more sedentary lifestyle, which cycles into more pain from lack of use. The best way to avoid this type of issue is to remain active on a daily basis whenever possible.
How to Treat Painful Tendons
Tendons need proper treatment for them to recover properly. When a tendon gets injured, you need to basically train it to slowly work the right way, which decreases the pain. However, you need to make sure that the training comes from someone who knows how to do it. If you were to try and rehab it on your own, you would likely increase the chances of constantly struggling with that pain. Physical therapists can help you learn how to move properly, without the risk of hurting your tendon all over again.
When you struggle with chronic tendon pain, this could also be due to a problem with the alignment with something in your body. Going to a medical professional who can help realign your body can significantly reduce your pain. This is definitely an option to consider when you struggle with back pain. Realigning the structures in and around your back often brings about relief.
Struggling with painful tendons can leave you reeling in pain. However, you do not need to live like that. There are options to help bring about relief from tendon pain. Reach out and get the help you need to recover properly.
