Wrist or Ankle Tendon Pain??

Several clients have asked about wrist and ankle pain recently, so allow me to share my knowledge of recent diagnoses of causes of tendon pain in wrist and ankle.  Decades ago everything was tendonitis, but now we have a better understanding and use at least three terms for tendon pain in wrist and ankles:

Tendinosis / Tendonitis / Tenosynovitis . . .you can see they have the root name tendon.

Tendonitis is actually torn ligament fibers and the resulting inflammation of healing.  This is usually from an acute injury of sudden jerk on the tendon. Because tendons are so strong, tendonitis is relatively rare.  In this case, massage is helpful only on the muscle because direct pressure on the ligament disrupts the healing process and inflammation.  Anti-inflammatory shots are helpful.  

Tendinosis is a term the describes a dysfunctional tendon, ususally without inflammation.  Chronic use and pulling cause tendinosis.  It is results in the collagen breakdown of the tendon.  That actual material of the tendon deteriorates, and may have severly reduced or increased blood flow.  There is not actual inflammation of the tendon, so shots do not help.  However, direct massage does help to stimulate collagen rebuilding and blood flow normality.  The recovery process is slow and should focus on collagen rebuilding.

Chronic overuse can also cause Tenosynovitis, which is painful with inflammation.  However, the inflammation is not from healing, but from friction between the tendon and fibrous sheath.  The tendon is getting caught on it's covering.  There is often a grating sensation during movement through the range of motion.  Anti inflammatory shots may help.  Deep friction massage is good to reduce the friction, the rough parts between the sheath and tendon.

Tenosynovitis and tendinosis are similar, but identifying if the tendon has a sheath is important.  If it does not have sheath, it is likely tendinosis.

Through my training with Whitney Lowe, I use tests for wrists and ankles to tell the difference between these conditions.  Come in for an appointment and I can help diagnosis your tendon pain.  With a better understanding, we can choose a type of massage, whether to use shots, and if we need to focus on collagen rebuilding.  

Be well, Jesse

646 128 5160