5 Useful physiotherapy treatment tips for athletes with tendinosis
Many athletes, both professional and recreational, suffer from tendinosis at some point during their playing career. Tendinosis is the degeneration of your tendons due to heavy physical activity, wear and tear, injury or damaged blood vessels.
What happens during tendinosis is that the affected tendon becomes tender, swollen and unable to withstand pressure. This means that you'll likely be unable to perform at a high level when on the field. Because there is no redness or excessive irritation on affected tissues, some athletes try to play through the pain and discomfort.
However, it's important to receive timely treatment for tendinosis. Sports physiotherapy is an effective option that you can resort to for relief and healing of any affected tendons.
1. Massage therapy
Massages are a useful treatment option for tendinosis. Timely massages stimulate the flow to blood to affected tendons. In this way, healing (of the affected cells) occurs faster, and athletes can also enjoy pain relief.
During a massage, the tendon is gently stimulated to contract and expand. This causes the affected region to generate new collagen and strengthen the tendon over time. Because massage therapy stimulates blood flow and eases pain on the tendon, it's an effective physiotherapy technique for athletes struggling with this condition.
2. Apply support to affected muscles
When a tendon is affected by tendinosis, the last thing you would want to do is exert excessive pressure and stress on the affected region. Applying tape and braces is a useful technique for providing temporary relief to the tendon, especially when the injury is fresh.
With the right application, you may be able to engage in light physical activity as you undergo treatment.
3. Routine stretching and strategic movement
You should also engage in gentle stretching exercises so as to keep the affected tendon active. Walking is a good exercise to carry out, along with rhythmic contractions and extensions. The idea is to keep the muscles moving, so don't try to be too thorough with your stretching exercises.
4. Ice therapy
Ice therapy is the strategic application of ice onto your affected tendon to promote healing. Ice contracts muscle cells and provides pain relief as the tendon continues to heal. Ice should only be used for 10-minute periods and a break of 45 minutes to 1 hour in-between sessions.
5. Get plenty of rest
Even as you keep the muscle active, make sure you receive plenty of rest. The affected tendon needs time to heal and regain its strength. Therefore, don't try to cut shortcuts or rush the healing process.
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