Tendons are tough bands of fibrous tissue that attach your muscles to your bones. However, no matter how strong they are, they can only stretch so far, which leaves them vulnerable to injury.
There are tendons all over your body, and they come in all shapes and sizes. Some are small and thin, like the delicate connective bands of tissue found in your hands. Others are large and ropelike, such as the ones that anchor your thigh and calf muscles to the bones in your legs.
However, whether large or small, all of your tendons can become irritated, inflamed, or sustain microscopic tears. These injuries are known as tendonitis, and they can cause pain, swelling, and tenderness in the affected area. They can also become a chronic problem.
Anyone can develop tendonitis, but it becomes increasingly more likely once you reach age 40. However, that doesn’t mean you have to sit on the sidelines or count the days until pain sets in.
Thomas F. Saylor, MD, diagnoses and treats musculoskeletal conditions like tendonitis at Orthopaedic Care Specialists in North Palm Beach, Florida. If you want to avoid tendon problems, he recommends ditching these five poor lifestyle habits no matter your age.
Physical activity is good for you, right? It is when you do it correctly and regularly. However, many tendon injuries occur because of “weekend warrior” practices.
While it’s enticing to head out on the weekend or join the big game with friends, engaging in physical activities beyond your fitness level can overextend your body, especially your tendons.
Instead, ditch your weekend warrior status and focus on exercising regularly, increasing your activity level gradually, and practicing proper training techniques, such as warming up, cooling down, and cross-training. This approach can help keep your muscles and tendons ready to play and injury-free.
Repetitive activities are a common cause of tendonitis, especially those involved in sports, hobbies, and the workplace. Here are some examples:
Even though these activities can put added stress on your tendons over time, you don’t have to avoid them completely.
Dr. Saylor recommends using proper techniques when performing repetitive activities and taking plenty of breaks. Generally speaking, you should avoid staying in the same position for longer than 30 minutes at a time.
And, don’t forget, stretching and warming up before engaging in repetitive activities can help you avoid injury.
It’s easy to overlook the importance of posture, but training your body to sit, stand, walk, and lie in the right positions can eliminate strain on all of your supporting tendons, muscles, and ligaments.
To avoid tendonitis, take steps to improve your posture by:
It’s also important to learn proper body mechanics for specific activities, such as lifting heavy objects.
We know, we know — weight loss is hard! But managing your weight plays a crucial role in protecting your overall health and your tendons.
Every extra pound of body fat puts added strain on your musculoskeletal system, but it also does more than that. Adipose tissue also increases inflammation in the body, and studies show that up to 45% of the adult population lives with chronic inflammation.
As a result, those excess pounds not only increase the physical load on your tendons, but the inflammation can put them at risk as well.
Do you want to reduce inflammation in your body? It’s time to clean up your diet. Foods that can increase inflammation in your system include:
Instead, focusing on the right nutrients can ease tendonitis inflammation and prevent symptoms from occurring. These foods include whole grains and items rich in omega-3 fatty acids, such as salmon, walnuts, and olive oil.
You should also double down on your fruits and vegetables, especially those high in vitamin C, such as broccoli, oranges, tomatoes, cauliflower, kale, and kiwi.
Do you have tendonitis pain? We can help you get relief. To learn more, call 561-292-0148 or book an appointment online with Orthopaedic Care Specialists today.
