Tendon Injuries and Treatment Methods

Tendon Injuries and Treatment Methods

What is a tendon?
Tendons are the ligaments that enable our movement and transmit the power produced by muscles to bones and joints. A healthy tendon is one of the most important elements of movement. Tendons are tough fibers that connect muscles to bone. For example; Achilles tendon connects the calf muscle to the heel bone.

What are tendon injuries?
Most tendon injuries occur near joints such as the shoulder, elbow, knee and ankle. A tendon injury can occur suddenly, but more often it is the result of small tears in the tendon structure over time. Although the causes of the loss of function of tendons can be named differently, the term "tendinopathy" is more commonly used as an inclusive nomenclature that includes both inflammation and micro-tears. However, for many years most tendon problems were referred to as "tendonitis". Many sources still use this familiar word to describe tendon damage.

What are the causes of tendon injuries?
Most tendon injuries are the result of wear and tear caused by inappropriate loading on the tendon beyond what it can support, either through overuse or aging. Tendon injuries can occur in anyone and at any age. However, people who repeatedly perform the same movements in their work, sports or daily activities are more likely to damage a tendon. Tendon injury can occur suddenly or gradually. A sudden injury is more likely to occur when the tendon weakens over time.

What are the symptoms of tendon injuries?
Symptoms of tendon injuries (tendinopathy) usually include pain, stiffness and loss of strength in the affected area. The pain may be worse when using the joint where the tendon is located. There may be more pain and stiffness during the night or when you wake up in the morning. In advanced and improperly treated cases, there may be a crunchy sound, crunching or sensation when using the tendon.

How is a tendon injury diagnosed?
To diagnose a tendon injury (damage), a sensitive examination followed by good questioning and interpretation of the complaints is often sufficient. If the injury is related to the use of a tool or sports equipment, detailed and sometimes practical information about the use may be requested. If the symptoms are severe or do not improve with treatment, it may be necessary to have a test such as an X-ray, ultrasound or MRI.

How are tendon injuries treated?
In most cases, tendon injuries can be treated with simple methods. 

To treat tendon injuries:

Rest the painful area and avoid activities that make the pain worse.
Apply ice or cold packs 1 or 2 times an hour for 10-15 minutes at a time for the first 48-72 hours. Continue to use ice as long as it helps.
If pain interferes with daily life or sleep at night, simple painkillers are taken. 
Gentle exercises and stretching are done to prevent stiffness.

When improvement is felt after these applications, daily life and activities can be returned in a controlled manner. However, especially intense exercise or competitive sports activities should not be started without making sure that the pain is completely gone, preferably at mild degrees well below the pre-injury level. 
Return to the previous level slowly and stop if doing so causes pain. Always take time to warm up before exercising. If this does not help, physical therapy may be recommended. If the injury is severe or lasts for a long time, it may be necessary to use immobilization methods such as a splint, brace or cast to keep the tendon in place. A tendon injury can take weeks or months to heal. At this point, it is important to be patient and adapt to the treatment. It is important to remember that starting to use the injured tendon too soon may cause further damage and it may be necessary to change the treatment.