Tendon injuries

What are tendon injuries?

Tendon injuries or tendinopathies occur after an overload that generates small ruptures of the fibers. When the affected muscles and joints suffer tension or effort, it generates inflammation in the tendons, the blood flow is hindered or there is nerve entrapment.

They are classified as tendinitis when it is a mild inflammation or tendinosis when it degenerates.

Tendon injuries are particularly common injuries in sports and, depending on the sport practiced, their location varies. Some of the most common tendinopathies are:

  • Achilles tendon: in the heel, common in professional athletes. It causes inflammation, pain and swelling.
  • Patellar tendon: in the knee, more common in women. The realization of exercises is very useful to avoid this kind of discomfort.
  • Supraspinatus Tendon: in the shoulder, it is a fragile area and recovery is usually slower.
  • Lateral epicondyle tendon: in the elbow, better known as tennis elbow. Common in the practice of tennis but also in some professions.

Prognosis of the disease

Tendinopathies are not serious injuries, as long as an adequate treatment is carried out and the tendon regeneration phases are followed.

The evolution of tendon injuries is as follows:

  • Acute: less than two weeks
  • Subacute: three to six weeks
  • Chronic: more than six weeks

Symptoms of tendon injuries

The symptoms of a tendon injury will vary according to its location, but there are several points that they have in common:

  • Pain and tenderness on mobilization of the tendon.
  • Increased stiffness at night or in the morning after getting up
  • Swelling
  • Warmth and redness
  • You may hear or feel a crunching sound when using the tendon
  • Thickening of the tendon (in some cases)
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Medical tests for tendon injuries

In many cases, a clinical examination is usually sufficient to locate the affected tendon and the severity of the injury. However, it is usual that specialists resort to other tests to know more precisely the degree of affectation, by means of an ultrasound or magnetic resonance imaging.

What are the causes of tendon injuries?

Some of the most common causes are the following:

  • Failure to perform an adequate warm-up prior to exercise or physical exertion.
  • Trauma
  • Repetitive movements or overexertion
  • Physical alterations (such as deviations in any body segment, postural dysfunctions, etc.).
  • Performance of a bad gesture, especially in sports practice.
  • Inadequate training material
  • Metabolic dysfunctions or poor hydration.
    Achilles tendon injuries are common in athletes.

Can they be prevented?

There are different tips that can be followed to prevent this kind of injury. First of all, it is important to control the loads to avoid exceeding the limit of the tendon. A massage after overloading or stretching are measures that can be decisive to avoid tendinopathy.

Other aspects that can be considered are correcting a bad sports technique, reducing the load in some physical activities, using appropriate footwear, etc.

Treatments for tendon injuries

The treatment for tendinopathies is usually conservative, with relative rest and anti-inflammatory measures, depending on the severity. These measures can be medications, nutritional supplements, dietary changes, application of bandages and manual therapy.

The means used will change depending on the location, severity and age. In short, although there are multiple treatments, the most common is:

  • Rest
  • Stretching
  • Anti-inflammatories
  • Physiotherapy

In some cases, when the most conservative treatment is not effective, surgery may be resorted to.

What specialist treats it?

Tendon injuries can be treated by a specialist in Sports Medicine, Traumatology or Physiotherapy.