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Sports Chiropractic Solutions for Tackling Tendonitis
Tendonitis is a common condition among athletes due to the repetitive motions required in many sports. Throwing, swinging, swimming, running, jumping (and landing,) among other athletic movements, all can repeatedly stress tendons, the thick, fibrous tissues that connect muscle to bone and allow the bones to move when the muscles contract. Over time, degradation can occur.
Any compromise in movement due to fatigue, injury, equipment, or deficit in technique, strength, or flexibility can create issues anywhere in the body where there are tendons, but most commonly in the heel, knee, wrist, elbow, and shoulder.
While tendonitis can be an acute injury, it is generally a condition that develops over time, which is why tendonitis cases are often referred to with names like tennis elbow, golfer’s elbow, runner’s knee, or quarterback’s (or swimmer’s) shoulder. They come from repeatedly stressing the same joint in the same ways.
In acute cases, tendonitis can result from increasing your load or training difficulty too suddenly, improper maintenance or replacement of equipment, not allowing enough recovery time, and poor posture or spinal alignments.
Sports chiropractic care has many ways of addressing tendonitis, no matter where it happens in the body. As body functionality specialists, sports chiropractors seek to identify and correct the root causes that likely led to a patient’s tendon issues.
Proper spinal and limb alignment is vital to ensuring optimal range of motion through sports-specific movements. Hands-on manipulations of both the joints and the affected muscle structure can identify misalignments, calcium deposits, constrictions, and inflammation. A myriad of non-invasive sports chiropractic treatment modalities can work together to reduce pain, increase mobility, and promote more complete healing than rest alone.
- Biomechanics analysis reveals deficiencies in strength, flexibility, and muscle balance.
- Corrective strengthening and stretching exercises can reduce strain on the joint and surrounding tissues and address deficiencies.
- Massage therapy improves blood flow to the area.
- LED red light therapy enhances circulation and energizes healing tissues.
- Acoustic compression therapy directs pulse-activated waves directly to the cells to stimulate faster healing.
Sports chiropractors are experts not only in analyzing the quality of movement but in improving strength and mobility to optimize it.
Symptoms of Tendonitis
Tendonitis results in pain and tenderness when moving the affected joint or limb and can dramatically reduce the range of motion. The swelling and discomfort may start out mild and dull and get worse over time.
- Tennis elbow is characterized by pain and weakness in the outside of the elbow that radiates to the forearm and wrist when you grip an object or perform any motion that requires the twisting of the wrist.
- Golfer’s elbow presents pain, weakness, and stiffness on the inside of the arm that can radiate numbness and tingling through the outer fingers when attempting to grip an object or make a fist.
- Jumper’s Knee, more formally known as patellar tendonitis, results in pain at the base of the kneecap where it meets the shinbone that may not only when playing your sport, but when climbing stairs and getting up from a seated position.
- Quarterback’s/Swimmer’s Shoulder refers to rotator cuff tendonitis pain that radiates from the front of the shoulder down the side of the arm and may even hurt when trying to sleep on that arm.
Playing through pain associated with mild tendonitis will not make it go away, and will likely exacerbate the problem. If not treated early, tendonitis can result in a tendon tear, which often requires surgical intervention.
Sports chiropractic care is highly beneficial in the treatment of both new and chronic cases of tendonitis. If you have any of the symptoms of tendonitis or experience pain during play, visit Dynamic Sports Medicine for an evaluation.
