Tendons are the fibrous connective tissue that attaches our muscles to our bones. When tendons are injured the repair process can take days, weeks, and even months. Tendon repair requires proper medical and at home remedies, treatments, and procedures. The repair of an injured tendon can come in many forms from surgery, injections, medicine, and includes simple at home procedures like resting, taking supplements, and elevating your area of injury. Continue reading to discover what tendon repair entails and how you can achieve optimized tendon repair recovery time.
Surgery
Surgery can seem like a last resort but in some extreme cases tendon repair is needed to regain a normal quality of life. Tendon injuries commonly occur in the hand and tendinitis also commonly affects joints in the hands and knees. Losing function in such important parts of our body can affect day to day life including simple tasks like taking out the garbage, writing, and enjoying a simple stroll down the block.
Surgery options help people recover more quickly and regain function where needed. Tendon repair surgery may require seeking input from a tendon specialist before reconstructive surgery. Specialists who specialize in tendon repair surgery are trained to help your body heal through the use of surgery. Talk to your doctor about the right option for you.
Steroid Injections
Steroid Injections help many patients feel relief from pain during the tendon repair process. Steroid injections work by calming the nerves and reducing and suppressing inflammation in and around the tendon area. It is not a solution to a tendon injury, but it does offer a short term solution to ongoing pain and discomfort. Tendon injections are given by expertly trained physicians and should never be done at home without medical supervision.
Physical Therapy
Physical therapists are trained to deal with tendon repair. By visiting a physical therapist regularly, you can regain function in your injured tendon more quickly and find new ways to manage your pain. Rather than avoiding using the affected area, a physical therapist will show you ways to move and exercise your body and the affected tendon in order to promote tendon repair and regrowth. You can achieve optimal tendon repair results via physical therapy if you are seen consistently on a weekly schedule as prescribed by your physical therapist.
Medication
Another medical intervention in tendon repair is using medications. Aspirin, ibuprofen, and acetaminophen are amongst the most common names in pain reducing medication. These medications work to fight against and reduce inflammation at the site of pain. You can find tendon relief by using these medications that are sold in most pharmacies and can be prescribed by your primary care physician.
RICE
RICE is a term that stands for a process of healing your tendon which includes test, ice, compression, and elevation.
Resting is crucial to giving your body the ability to strengthen repair building properties and to avoid further irritating the injured tendon.
Icing your injured tendon helps to reduce inflammation and swelling. Apply a cold compress to the affected area
Compressing the affected tendon also helps eliminate swelling and inflammation and can be done by wrapping the injured tendon with a tight bandage.
Elevating your hurting tendon further promotes a reduction in inflammation and swelling. Try propping the affected area of your body with pillows whenever you are sitting down or resting.
RICE is an easy at home treatment for tendon repair and can help in the recovery process especially within the first few days of injury. When dealing with a serious injury, seek medical attention as RICE is only reserved for injuries that are minor or that have been addressed and assessed by a medical professional.
Rest
Resting needs to be highlighted as one of the highest forms of tendon repair and this can come via a good night’s rest. Sleeping promotes overall bodily health which can help immensely when healing connective tissue within the body. Try getting at least 8 hours of uninterrupted sleep each night and take breaks when needed in order to avoid further stressing your injured tendon.
Resting your tendon may also require giving up strenuous activities for the time being while you wait for your tendon to heal. Schedule rest into your daily routine during tendon repair and you will begin seeing a notable difference.
Research Peptides
Peptides are being researched to study their ability to help promote healing, repair, and tendon recovery. They are often studied and recommended by doctors to assist with healing.
Peptides are short chains of amino acids. Peptides have been studied in rats, mice, and other animals to verify their benefits. According to Peptide Sciences the peptide Thymosin Beta-4 or TB-4, also known as TB500, has been found to be naturally occurring in animals and humans and is studied to determine the extent of its inflammation reducing properties. Rat trails using peptides also showed benefits that peptides have.
Tendon repair is multifaceted and requires careful attention and a dedicated approach to healing. With time, medical intervention, and easy at home remedies, tendon repair can happen properly and speedily.
