Patella tendonitis. Inflammation of the knee ligaments

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Tendinitis- Inflammation of the tendon. Most often, the disease begins with inflammation of the tendon sheath (tendovaginitis, tendosynovitis) or tendon bag (tendobursitis). If the inflammatory process extends to the muscles adjacent to the tendon, then such diseases are called myotendinitis. Most commonly, tendon inflammation affects the knee, calcaneal tendon, hip, shoulder, elbow, and base of the thumb.

When conducting laboratory studies, no changes are observed, except when the disease is associated with an infection or a rheumatoid process.

As a result of constant stress, including with frequent impact on the surface lower extremities(when running), tendonitis may develop in the upper thigh. This affects the tendons of the rectus femoris muscle (main and quadriceps tendinitis), tendons of the iliopsoas muscle (hip flexor tendinitis), and tendons of the long adductor muscle (groin tendonitis). The main manifestations of tendonitis of the hip joint are:

• change in gait and lameness;
• slow onset of symptoms
• reduction in pain after initial activity and return on subsequent exertion with greater force;
• crackling in the upper part of the thigh.

Treatment includes both conservative methods (rest, anti-inflammatory drugs, cortisone injections, etc.) and surgical methods (surgical removal of inflamed tissue from the tendon).

Gluteal tendonitis

Gluteal tendinitis is a dystrophic phenomenon in the tendons of the gluteal muscles. The disease manifests itself in the form of muscle weakness, their atrophy, increasing motor disorders, and difficulty in moving from a horizontal position. The progression of the disease can lead to a rupture at the point of transition of the muscle into the tendon, while there is a sharp click and pain, and limited mobility. Treatment in most cases is conservative.

Tibialis posterior tendonitis

Tibialis posterior tendinitis (post-tibial tendinitis) is an inflammation of the tibialis posterior tendon, located on the inside of the lower leg and ankle. This type of foot tendinitis develops as a result of prolonged overstrain of the calf muscles, chronic microtrauma or tendon sprain. It is observed most often in female athletes after 30 years. In addition to general methods, the treatment of posterior tibial tendinitis is based on wearing a special orthopedic shoes with support for the foot and a reinforced heel, the use of arch supports with high shock-absorbing characteristics. In some cases, surgical treatment is indicated, aimed at suturing ruptures or tendon reconstruction.

Shock wave therapy for calcific tendinitis of the shoulder - video

Before use, you should consult with a specialist.

The knee joint is often injured due to constant physical stress on it. Of the components of this area, damage often occurs in the patella's own ligament. As a result, it develops an inflammatory process called tendinitis.

Anatomy of the patellar ligament

Anatomically, the patellar ligament is a continuation of the tendon of the quadriceps femoris, which fixes it to the anterior tuberosity of the tibia, located in the lower part of the kneecap.

Due to the structure, the knee region is considered unique, as it allows not only movement, but also enhances the functionality of the quadriceps muscle.

Types of damage

Injuries that occur in the ligament of the patella:

1. Injury. With it, the integrity of the tissue is practically not violated, but the blood vessels are damaged, which is manifested by the appearance of a bruise. The injury is accompanied by pain and swelling.
2. Stretching. It is characterized by a slight damage to the ligaments, by about 10%. Such an injury to the ligament of the patella does not lead to joint dysfunction, but can provoke pain and limit the mobility of the leg.
3. Tear. With it, the gap is about 30%. The pain symptom manifests itself pronouncedly when trying to stand on the injured limb or bend it, it becomes difficult for the patient to move.
4. Gap. In this case, the leg is not able to make any movements in the knee joint. The affected area swells, the ligament of the patella hurts, a large hematoma forms on it due to damage to the blood vessels. A rupture requires surgical intervention.

Reasons for the development of pathology

Ligament tendonitis occurs in people of all ages. Most often, it is diagnosed in athletes who regularly expose the knee to increased physical exertion. Sports activities often cause injuries to the patella, leading to the development of a pathological process in it.

In addition to mechanical damage, tendinitis can cause such factors:

Also, the disease occurs due to degenerative changes in the knee joint due to the age of the person.

Stages of development

Tendinitis of the patellar ligament occurs in several degrees:

1. First. Soreness is weak, manifests itself only after physical activity.
2. Second. Symptoms are also mild, but may occur at rest.
3. Third. The severity of the signs increases, they accompany the patient under any load.
4. Fourth. At this stage, the ligament breaks.

The tissue is torn because tendinitis causes disturbances in its structure, a decrease in strength.

Symptoms

The development of tendonitis of one's own ligament begins with a mild pain of a dull nature, which manifests itself at the bottom of the patella or in the area of ​​the tubercle of the tibia of the femur. In the first stages of the pathology, pain occurs only due to physical activity. Stiffness is also felt: even incomplete flexion and extension of the leg is difficult.

As the disease progresses, the symptoms become more severe. As a result, pain occurs with any movement of the knee. If tendonitis accompanies a rupture of the ligament of the patella, then discomfort is formed when trying to straighten the limb with effort.

Diagnostic measures

Before prescribing therapy, it is required to conduct an examination of the patient in order to detect the cause of the inflammatory process of the patellar ligament, the degree of its development, the nature of the course.

First, the doctor examines the patient, and then prescribes laboratory and instrumental research methods. These include:

1. Blood and urine tests to detect inflammation, infection, autoimmune lesions.
2. Ultrasound diagnostics, which allows to identify violations in the structure of the ligament.
3. Computed or magnetic resonance imaging, which helps to detect degeneration of the patella.
4. X-ray examination in different projections, necessary to identify concomitant joint diseases.

When conducting an examination, it is important to distinguish pathology from arthritis - inflammation of the joint. He has a similar clinical picture with tendinitis. But the pain syndrome manifests itself in different ways. In the case of arthritis, it torments constantly, spreads over a large area. With tendonitis, pain is localized only in part of the lesion and does not always appear, but most often when moving.

Therapeutic methods

Thanks to modern medicine, patients with patellar ligament tendonitis recover completely and avoid dangerous complications. But a big role in this is played not only by the methods of therapy, but the timeliness of the patient's treatment to the doctor and the implementation of all his recommendations.

In the early stages, you can get rid of inflammation of the patella and partial deformity of the joint by reducing the load on the knee, taking medications, exercise therapy, physiotherapy, and alternative medicine. In advanced cases, it is necessary to resort to surgical intervention.

Medications

Medicines are used to suppress inflammation in the patella, eliminate pain. For this, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs are used. The drugs "Ibuprofen", "Indomethacin", "Diclofenac" have proven themselves well. They come in different forms for internal, topical or injection use.

If 2 weeks after the start of taking these medications, the patient does not feel better, then corticosteroids are prescribed. They are more powerful. If the disease is accompanied by an infectious lesion, then antibiotics are used.

In the case of severe patellar tendonitis, doctors can inject into the joint the patient's plasma, which contains a large number of platelets. This technique allows you to accelerate the recovery of tendon tissues.

Physiotherapy

The following exercises are considered the most effective:

1. Stand with your back to the wall, sit down so that the buttocks are on the same level with the knee, and stay in this position for a few seconds.
2. Stand up straight, bend your leg, grab the heel from the back and pull it to the gluteal region. Stay like this for a minute, then change legs.
3. Lie on your side, put your hand under your head, the other rest on the floor. Then lift the limb up as far as possible. Then repeat with the other leg.
4. Take a reclining position, lean your elbows on the surface. Bend one limb at the knee, and raise the other up and linger for a few seconds, then change legs.

Physiotherapy

If tendonitis of the ligament of the patella is detected, a course of massage is prescribed. Thanks to him, the pain syndrome is eliminated, the process of healing and restoration of damaged tissues is accelerated.

Of the physiotherapy procedures used:

• Iontophoresis.
• magnetic treatment.
• Electrophoresis.
• Paraffin applications.

When conducting warm-up sessions, it should be remembered that they are prohibited for people suffering from rheumatism.

Folk remedies

To eliminate the symptoms of tendonitis, the ligaments are allowed to use alternative medicine methods. It helps to relieve swelling and soreness such a compress: beaten egg white is mixed with a large spoonful of vodka and the same amount of flour. Everything is mixed until a homogeneous mass is obtained. Then it is smeared on a bandage and the area of ​​\u200b\u200bthe patella is bandaged. The bandage is removed after 3 hours.

Another compress is made using a mixture prepared from a tablespoon of sea salt and the same portion of chopped onion. The mass is applied to the damaged area, wrapped with a warm cloth and kept for 5 hours.

In addition to compresses, oral medications are used. It is recommended to use turmeric as a seasoning. You need to eat no more than 0.5 g per day. They also prepare a decoction of bird cherry berries and drink 100 ml 3 times a day.

Surgery

With the development of an advanced stage of tendonitis of the patella, it is almost impossible to help the patient get rid of the disease using a conservative method. Therefore, doctors resort to surgical intervention.

Most preferred method surgery - arthroscopy. During the operation, the doctor makes several punctures in the joint area, through which he introduces instruments and a camera to further control the procedure.

Sometimes open intervention is required. But it can cause adverse effects. It is most preferable to carry out plastic surgery: it is the safest and helps to fully restore the damaged joint.

Taping

The essence of the technique lies in the use of special tapes that help reduce the load on the ligament. There are several types of taping:

1. Cross gluing tape.
2. Cruciform overlay with lower and upper attachment point.
3. Longitudinal fastening of the tape in relation to the bundle.
4. Mixed taping.

Orthosis also helps to reduce the load on the patella. But it is not put on a cup, but a little below it.

Rehabilitation

The duration of the patient's recovery after the treatment may be different. It depends on how timely the therapy was started, what pathologies accompany tendinitis, what is the severity of inflammation.

For some patients, 2 weeks is enough to recover. To do this, even some physiotherapy procedures are enough for them. Others take more time and A complex approach to rehabilitation.

Complications and prevention

People do not always go to the doctor in time when they feel pain in the knee, until it gets worse and begins to be accompanied by other unpleasant symptoms. The brightness of the clinical picture is manifested when the pathology proceeds already in the last stages.

If timely measures are not taken, then the pathological process will worsen, spread to other parts of the joint. It can lead to synovitis, arthrosis and many other joint diseases, which sometimes cannot be cured.

To avoid the development of tendonitis of the ligament of the patella, one must be more attentive to the joints. When playing sports, it is required not to heavily load the knees, to give the legs more rest. But physical activity must be present. People who lead a sedentary lifestyle also have joint problems.

The best preventive measure is considered a timely visit to the doctor. Soreness in the knee area is a serious reason for examination. After all, it can be a sign of not only an ordinary bruise, but also a serious pathology.

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Date of: 2016-11-07 Views: 19 179 Grade: 4.5 Inflammation of the patella's own ligament, which runs between the patella and the tibial tuberosity, is called patellar tendonopathy, or the more common term, jumper's knee. The main cause of the disease is acute or chronic overload of the knee joint. This is most typical for athletes who often make jumps in the course of their professional activity(tennis players, athletes, football players, basketball players, volleyball players). The load during such a movement is characterized by a sharp and powerful, "explosive" contraction of the quadriceps of the thigh. This is a key muscle when performing jumps. Experiencing constant tension, the tendon of the quadriceps femoris is overloaded, micro-tears of fibers are formed in it, which do not heal well. This leads to malnutrition, inflammation and degenerative changes in the tendon tissues. (Percentage of load spread during quadriceps contraction.) The main symptoms of patellar ligament tendonitis are:

1. Pain localized in the patella, aggravated by flexion - extension of the knee, as well as when the patella is displaced by hand.
2. Edema and swelling in the knee joint.
3. Limitation of movements in the knee joint, a feeling of weakness in the thigh muscle.

Most main principle jumper's knee therapy - start it as early as possible. The tendons of our body have a rather weak nutrition. Therefore, the longer you delay the process, the more pronounced pathological changes will occur in the tissue, which worsens the prognosis for recovery. Conservative treatment is as follows:

• Unloading the affected joint by using a bandage or knee brace. The knee pad is worn all the time, it can only be removed at night.
• Cold compresses on the first day after the onset of pain.
• Anti-inflammatory drugs for the relief of pain.
• To reduce swelling in the joint area, you can use Troxevasin ointment, topically 2-3 r / day.
• Physiotherapy (ultrasound, SMT, magnetotherapy). IN last years shock wave therapy is widely used successfully in the treatment of the syndrome.
• Therapeutic exercises aimed at relaxing the thigh muscles.
• In severe cases, injections of corticosteroids into the pain site are used. But I do not recommend this technique for athletes, because. this kind of drugs can cause even more degeneration of the ligament and lead to its rupture under load.

Operative methods of treatment are resorted to in the absence of positive result from conservative therapy carried out within 1.5 - 3 months. During the operation, the patellar ligament is released, the damaged tissues are carefully excised, and the ligament itself is fixed to the tibia with a special screw.

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After injuries, heavy physical exertion, or various diseases of the knee joint, the ligaments and tendons that attach the patella often become inflamed. This disease is called tendonitis of the knee. Tendons are most commonly affected where they attach to bones.

Features of knee tendonitis

Basically, the inflammation affects the ligaments that help to straighten the leg. They are located at the bottom of the patella and are attached to the tibia. The disease develops due to microtrauma of the ligaments. Due to the large physical load, small ruptures of the tendons occur. If they do not have time to recover, then they become inflamed.

There is acute tendinitis of the knee joint, which develops as a result of injuries or infectious lesions of the ligaments. If there is salt deposits in the joint, a chronic form of the disease occurs. The disease can be accompanied by bursitis - inflammation of the joint, tendinosis - inflammation of the surrounding soft tissues. Due to the inflammatory process, the strength of the ligament decreases with the progression of the disease, therefore, with any careless movement, it can break.

Why Tendonitis Develops

The disease can affect different people, regardless of age and gender. But most often athletes suffer from inflammation, constantly exposing the knee to increased physical exertion. Therefore, the joint affected by tendinitis is also called the "jumper's knee." But inflammation can also develop for other reasons:

• due to infectious diseases, fungal or helminth damage;
• due to rheumatoid arthritis, kidney disease or diabetes;
• due to salt deposits and gout;
• How allergic reaction for certain drugs;
• due to violations of posture, wearing uncomfortable shoes;
• degenerative changes in the joint that occur with age.

The pain first appears with increased physical activity.

Symptoms of the disease

The main symptom of knee tendinitis is pain. In most cases, the disease goes through several stages. At first, the pain appears only after a strong load, then - after any work or even walking. It is especially noticeable when the leg is extended: while climbing stairs or standing up. In the last stage, the pain becomes stronger and disturbs the patient even at rest.

In addition to this symptom, the presence of the disease can be judged by other signs:

• there is a limitation of joint mobility;
• knee swollen, red, hot to the touch;
• when touched, painful sensations arise;
• creaking is heard when moving in the knee joint.

Diagnostic methods

For appointment proper treatment it is important to accurately determine the cause of inflammation, the stage and nature of the course of the disease. For this, in addition to an external examination, the doctor prescribes different methods of examination:

• Ultrasound helps to determine a change in the structure or length of the ligaments;
• CT and MRI reveal cases when surgical intervention is necessary if degenerative changes in the ligaments have begun;
• x-rays can determine the presence of concomitant diseases: arthritis, arthrosis or gout;
• laboratory tests are also assigned, which determine if the inflammation has arisen against the background of an infection or autoimmune diseases.

It is necessary to distinguish the disease from arthritis, with which it has similar symptoms. But with arthritis, the pain is constant, diffuse. Tendinitis causes localized pain mainly on movement.

Drug injections help relieve pain and inflammation

Treatment of tendonitis

The current level of development of medicine allows you to completely cure inflammation of the ligaments without serious consequences. But for this you need to consult a doctor in time and follow all his recommendations. Treatment of tendonitis in the first stages of its development lends itself to such methods:

• immobilization of the limb and reduction of the load on the joint;
• drug therapy;
• physiotherapy;
• physiotherapy procedures;
• folk remedies.

Load reduction

In the acute stage of the inflammatory process and severe pain, it is necessary to immobilize the knee for a while. To reduce the load on the ligaments of the patella, taping, wearing special orthoses or plastering are used. This helps relieve pain and prevent ligament damage. In the initial stages of the disease, it is enough to limit running, jumping, not kneeling, less likely to climb stairs.

Physiotherapy methods are often used in the treatment of tendonitis

Medical treatment

Medications help relieve pain and reduce inflammation, but they are only an adjunct treatment. The most commonly prescribed non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs: Ibuprofen, Naproxen, Piroxicam, Indomethacin. They can be taken as tablets, injections or ointments.

If after two weeks of therapy there is no improvement, more serious drugs are used - corticosteroids. In severe cases of the disease, the introduction of own plasma enriched with platelets can be used. This contributes to faster regeneration of tendon tissues.

In the infectious course of tendinitis, the use of antibacterial drugs is indicated.

Folk remedies

Such methods are used as an adjunct treatment. This may be the ingestion of various decoctions or tinctures, compresses or applications on the joint area. After consulting with your doctor, you can use the following remedies:

• drink a decoction of bird cherry berries;
• alcohol infusion of walnut partitions;
• use curcumin and ginger regularly as a seasoning for food;
• make compresses with aloe juice;
• applications from the infusion of fresh ginger;
• contrasting procedures are useful: massage with ice cubes, and after that warming up the joint with a bag of salt.

It must be remembered that warming up and compresses are done only if there is no redness and swelling of the joint, and it is not hot to the touch.

To restore the mobility of the ligaments, special exercises are needed.

Effective are special exercises that strengthen muscles and ligaments. Most of them should be aimed at stretching the quadriceps femoris. Yoga classes under the guidance of an instructor, swimming are very effective. Useful exercises are:

• muscle stretching;
• lifting legs from a prone position;
• swing legs with resistance;
• walking on a treadmill;
• squeezing the ball with the knees.

It is very important that the increase in the intensity of training be gradual. A return to normal exercise, especially for athletes, is possible only after the complete disappearance of pain and inflammation.

It is important to avoid heavy loads and give your knees a rest when playing sports.

Physiotherapy treatment

Most often, with tendinitis of the knee, massage is prescribed. It effectively relieves pain, helps healing and restoration of ligaments. In addition, the doctor may prescribe iontophoresis, UHF, magnetotherapy, electrophoresis, paraffin applications. But warming procedures are contraindicated in rheumatoid arthritis, therefore, they are used only after an accurate diagnosis of the causes of the disease.

Surgical intervention

It is necessary at the last stage of the disease, when a tear or complete rupture of the ligament has occurred. The operation also helps to remove cysts, eliminate vasoconstriction and other degenerative changes in the tissues of the knee. Tendon length correction is often performed to help restore quadriceps function. Rehabilitation after surgery is long, the patient can return to normal life in 3-4 months.

Prevention of tendinitis

Treatment of inflammation of the ligaments takes a long time, pain interferes with the normal course of life, and complications can lead to disability. Therefore, it is necessary to know how to prevent the development of tendonitis. To do this, you need to protect the knee joint from excessive and monotonous loads, while playing sports, periodically give the muscles and ligaments a rest.

At risk for the incidence of tendinitis are athletes, people performing monotonous leg movements or staying long time in one position. To prevent inflammation of the tendons, it is important to dose physical activity. If you experience pain in the knee, you should consult a doctor in order to start treatment on time. Then in 1-2 months the working capacity of the knee will be restored.

Tendinitis of the knee joint is more common in athletes. These are inflammatory processes in the tendons of the patella and adjacent tissues that are associated with mechanical injuries. But studies show that inflammation of the tendons can be associated with other causes, including infectious and rheumatic diseases, metabolic disorders and neuropathy that causes muscle disorders, with degenerative processes in the joints. The disease is fraught with complications, therefore, it needs complex treatment, which is possible only after a comprehensive examination.

Symptoms

The disease can manifest itself in various ways. Partly it depends on what causes it. Injuries, flat feet, bad posture are one thing. But if the development of tendonitis was affected by arthritis or gout, then signs of these diseases will also be added to the pain in the tendon. If it is caused by infections, then symptoms of general intoxication of the body can be observed - headache, weakness, loss of appetite, subfebrile temperature. The classic symptoms of tendinitis itself are as follows:

1. 1. Pain (sometimes moderate, in advanced cases - burning) in the tendon itself and in areas adjacent to it. Sometimes the pain gradually increases, sometimes it appears suddenly. In the presence of calcium deposits, it will be especially acute.
2. 2. Reduced joint mobility.
3. 3. Puffiness, which is complemented by inflammation and redness, but this is not always the case.

Sometimes non-moving to the side nodules that surround the joint become noticeable. If tendovaginitis (inflammation of the synovial membrane of the articular sheath) develops, then chronic fibrosis is observed.

With tendonitis, pain is noticeable on palpation of the tendon. But it usually intensifies either during the movement, or immediately after it. Painful sensations can appear when weather conditions change (when it is damp, windy, there are differences atmospheric pressure). There is increased stiffness of the tendons and joints due to stress. Moreover, this symptom may appear the next day after the injury.

Patellar ligament tendinitis is more common in jumping and athletics athletes. It is sometimes even called "jumper's knee". In this case, the disease affects the patellar ligament, which runs down from the patella and is a continuation of the quadriceps femoris. It connects the latter with the head of the tibia. Its task is to ensure knee extension. It also helps to raise the outstretched leg. This type of disease in athletes often affects the knee of the jogging leg. That is, tendinitis of the right or left knee is observed. In rare cases, the disease affects both limbs.

The disease is usually caused by repeated injury to the ligaments during loads typical for running, basketball, volleyball, cycling, boxing, and for some types of contact martial arts. It often develops in men aged 16-40 years. A risk factor is flat feet, which increases the tension of the ligament.

Athletes are not the only ones at risk. But people over the age of 40 are more likely to develop other forms of knee tendinitis (both right and left). It all starts with inflammation of the tendon bag - tendobursitis or even tendovaginitis. These conditions are often confused with sprains, but they have different causes and effects and are treated differently.

Types and stages

Although it is more commonly referred to as "knee tendinitis", the disease affects the tendons. Modern diagnostics (CT, MRI, ultrasound) helps to determine exactly where inflammation occurs. Based on its results, we can say that this is, for example, tendinitis of the internal lateral ligament, and even clarify the stage of the disease.

There are such forms of tendinitis as acute (it can be purulent or aseptic) and chronic (subdivided into a fibrous and ossifying form caused by salt deposition).

There are four stages of this disease. They show their symptoms in different ways. They can be described as follows:

1. 1. Stage 1 - due to numerous minor injuries, mild pain or discomfort occurs after increased training and increased physical exertion.
2. 2. Stage 2 - there is a paroxysmal dull pain, and even as a result of a weak load.
3. 3. Stage 3 - quite severe pain can occur even at rest.
4. 4. Stage 4 is a rupture of the ligament. And it doesn't always happen all at once. In the presence of chronic inflammation of the ligament, certain structural changes gradually occur, and its mechanical strength decreases.

The treatment strategy depends on the stage of the disease and associated pathologies.

Principles of treatment

Treatment of tendonitis should be comprehensive. This means that it is necessary to eliminate pain and swelling - this is done with the help of analgesics and other non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs. An equally important step is to eliminate the cause of the development of the disease.

Basically, conservative methods are used in the treatment. To relieve pain, it is important to ensure complete rest. This will help prevent further damage to the tendon. In the first time after the injury, you need to apply cold to the damaged area (you can not leave ice directly on the skin, put a cloth or towel under it). The cold slows down circulation and helps prevent tissue swelling. Partially, it eliminates pain. Experts recommend fixing the injured knee with elastic bandages. Additionally, the limb must be raised to a height.

It is not always necessary to completely immobilize the joint. Sometimes it’s enough just to reduce the load on the knee. To do this, when moving, crutches or a cane are used. While to immobilize the knee, you will have to wear a splint (in severe cases, gypsum is performed at all). IN modern conditions use methods such as taping and wearing an orthosis. The first option involves attaching a special tape (teips) to the knee. Exist different types taping, the specific option is chosen by the doctor. In the second case, we are talking about wearing a knee brace of a special design. Such orthoses can even be used for prophylaxis during intensive sports, hard physical work (including in the garden).

In the future, to eliminate pain and inflammation, ointments based on diclofenac and ibuprofen are used. Such drugs are produced both in the form of tablets and in the form of solutions for injection. Long-term oral use of non-steroidal drugs is not recommended due to the fact that they all have rather severe side effects. side effects in relation to the gastrointestinal tract. It is believed that they can be drunk for two weeks. But when used locally, they do not affect the mucous membranes of the stomach, so the duration of the course can be much longer. In severe cases, it is recommended to use these drugs for injection.

If these medications don't work, your doctor may prescribe corticosteroid injections directly into the affected joint. Such medicines should not be taken for a long time, because in large doses they weaken the tendon. Platelet-rich plasma is also used. Such drugs can relieve pain and inflammation, but if there is an underlying pathology that caused tendinitis (arthritis or infection), you need to remove it. Therefore, drugs are taken in parallel to treat this disorder.

Various physiotherapeutic methods are used. These are electrophoresis, magnetotherapy, UHF, iontophoresis. In the chronic form of the disease, it is recommended to do therapeutic massage. In the acute form of tendinitis, if there are no complications, then the pain can be removed within just a few days. A full recovery will take a month and a half.

For the treatment of the first two stages of tendinitis, conservative methods of therapy are used. Surgical intervention is indicated only in advanced stages of the disease. Operations are performed with stenosing tendonitis, which is accompanied by narrowing of blood vessels. If the underlying pathology turns into purulent tendovaginitis, urgent surgical intervention is necessary with pumping out the pus. The recovery period after the operation will be 2-3 months. During this time, you can use medications and some types of physiotherapy.

Modern technologies allow to make surgical intervention minimally traumatic. If earlier operations involved a conventional incision, today endoscopic surgery methods are used (in this case it is called arthroscopy, with its help minor violations are corrected and growths on the patella are removed). Open surgery is used only when cysts or other serious changes appear in the ligament that cannot be corrected in other ways. The strategy is chosen only by the doctor based on the clinical picture and data obtained using MRI and CT. These diagnostic methods are now considered more informative than x-rays and ultrasound, which only allow differentiating tendonitis from other diseases with similar symptoms.

Folk methods

Some people prefer treatment folk remedies. With tendinitis, such recipes do not help eliminate the cause, but can bring significant relief, especially if the disease is at an early stage or has become chronic. But before you start using such methods, you need to consult a doctor.

At home, you can use various tinctures and herbal teas. For oral administration, it is advised to use an infusion of walnut partitions. But such a remedy must be prepared in advance, since it must be insisted for 18 days. Therefore, it is rarely used for acute tendinitis. But in the chronic course of the disease, you can take this vodka tincture 1 tbsp. l. three times a day. This tool is contraindicated for those who drive a car.

Traditional healers suggest drinking tea from dried bird cherry berries. This drink is a decoction that is prepared in a water bath. For 1 cup of boiling water you need to take 1 tbsp. l.berries

For the period of treatment of the disease, you can use more seasonings such as turmeric. Its active ingredient is curcumin. It helps relieve pain and inflammation.

Treatment with folk remedies is mainly local procedures in which active substances enter the body directly through the skin. You can make a compress from aloe juice. It is squeezed from the cut leaves of the plant, which have lain in the refrigerator for a day. On the first day after the injury, you need to make 5-6 such compresses, and then one at night is enough.

You can make an ointment with arnica based on any nourishing cream. This will help relieve inflammation and swelling. This cream is used three times a day. The pharmacy also has ready-made ointments based on this plant.

A good result is given by lotions from crushed ginger root (2 cups of boiling water are taken for 2 tablespoons of vegetable raw materials and infused for half an hour). Such lotions are put three times a day for 10 minutes.

Compresses and contrast procedures help well, but they can only be used if there is no reddening of the skin and an increase in body temperature over the affected joint. Such procedures consist in the fact that you need to alternate a light massage with ice cubes with heating with millet groats heated in a pan (it is poured into a linen bag or sock). These manipulations help improve blood circulation and restore tissue.

Physical exercise

Physical therapy plays an important role in the treatment of tendonitis. It is used only for the 1st and 2nd stages of the disease, and only after the pain has been relieved. A set of exercises is selected by a doctor, and the first exercise therapy sessions should be carried out under the supervision of a health worker. A course of physical therapy may take several months, during which a complete restoration of the ligaments is expected. Only after that it will be possible to play sports again.

All movements with physiotherapy exercises should be aimed at stretching the posterior groups of the femoral muscles and the quadriceps muscle, as well as at the gradual extension of the knee with resistance. Professional athletes are recommended to include squats on the squat (inclined plane) in the complex, and they can be performed both with and without weights. But they can also be carried out only after the pain disappears. At first, gymnastics will take literally 10-15 minutes, gradually both the duration and the load will increase. Some experts recommend doing yoga for a few more months after the end of the exercise therapy course. But this does not apply to professional athletes.

An important role is played by the prevention of tendonitis. Before any training, you should first warm up all muscle groups, do not start classes abruptly. Doctors advise not to perform exercises for a long time on any one muscle group, so as not to cause overstrain.

If the job involves heavy lifting, avoid sudden movements. When lifting such a load, you need to bend your knees so as not to give them too much load. With any physical work, you need to regularly arrange breaks for rest, and if possible, then change the type of load. During the working day, monotonous movements and postures should be avoided.