Heal your Tendonitis

Unfortunately, I have had a lifetime of experience with tendonitis. (Tendonitis=swelling of a tendon.) Starting when I was only nineteen, I injured both my Achilles tendons (back of the ankle) while performing in a dance which required 20 minutes of nonstop jumping. I kid you not. I had only been dancing for about a year when I was selected to perform in this piece. By the end of the second performance--after weeks of rehearsing--both my ankles were black and blue, swollen to almost twice their normal size. I continue to suffer pain from the scar tissue which now lines these tendons.

Now I have recently begun to experience a new area of pain due to tendonitis in my thumb joint. Apparently this is a very common area to suffer from swollen tendons, in addition to the ankle and the wrist. Of course you have heard of carpal tunnel syndrome, which is also considered a repetitive strain injury.

Before we go any further, please note that I am not a doctor or medical practitioner of any sort. Please see a doctor if you are looking to diagnose or treat a serious injury.

Back to the problem at hand. (Get it???)

I decided to do a bit of research on my painful thumb joint and discovered it was likely to be one of two conditions: tendonitis or osteo-arthritis. Because my thumb joint began to hurt quite suddenly and intensely, I believe tendonitis to be the issue. The pain started after I used a set of 3-pound hand-held dumbbells for 2 days in a row, executing the same series of movements for 6-8 minutes each day. Doesn't sound like much, does it? Not a very heavy weight, not a long session, only 2 days in a row. But it was enough repetition of movement, with pressure on the thumb (3 pounds of pressure, to be exact) to irritate and inflame the tendon on my left hand. (Note that the stronger hand, my right, was fine.)

What is the cure?

Doctors might say to rest it, which is just about impossible for a human to do with their hands. Luckily it is my left, so I can do most things with my right. But total rest is not in the cards for any part of my body as I am currently teaching seven fitness/dance/yoga classes a week. Doctors would probably suggest painkillers or anti-inflammatory drugs like ibuprofen. However, these drugs do nothing to repair the damage. They only put a "band-aid" on the problem and dull the sensations in the affected area. Dulling the pain could encourage continued overuse, and this could in turn create additional damage to the tendon, resulting in the kind of scar tissue build-up and chronic pain I have in my Achilles tendons.

So what is the answer for me?

1) Fix the underlying issues. When I damaged my Achilles tendons during the jumping dance, the issue was incorrect form, or placement, in my legs. I didn't know how to jump with good alignment through all the joints of my legs. Therefore each jump landed poorly, out of alignment, doing a little more damage. Often the underlying issue with tendonitis is postural. Always look upstream or downstream for the culprit. In the case of my ankles, I was collapsing inward at the knees. In the case of my thumb injury, I have chronic tension in my neck, shoulders, and forearms. All this tension pulls on the tendons, constricts blood flow, and irritates nerves. Adjusting the alignment of the whole body, including head, neck, spine, shoulders, hips, legs and feet, will reduce tension, improve blood flow, and allow healing to begin.

2) Massage. Find the areas of tension (for Achilles tendonitis, look to the calf muscles) and begin a program of self-massage. (Yes, you can go to a professional, but you are going to pay plenty.) For my thumb, I need to massage everything from the neck/upper back, down through the shoulders and the forearms. Daily massage is going to make all the difference. Purchase a foam roller, use a few different kinds and sizes of balls (tennis, lacrosse, and softballs are all useful), and watch some youtube videos which show particular massage techniques for your problem area. Putting the right amount of pressure is the key--too little pressure and you get no results, too much pressure and you get bruising and added pain.

3) Once your massage program begins to reduce the tension in your tight muscles, add some gentle stretches. Don't go overboard! Too much stretching--too quickly and/or too vigorously--will just irritate the tight muscles and tendons, creating more problems. Take your time, adding more stretching to your daily routine when you start to see positive results.

Keep in mind that these types of injuries take a long time to heal. Don't expect instant results! Put in the time every single day to care for your body and your body WILL respond.