Tendinitis is inflammation of a tendon (a thick fibrous cord which attaches a muscle to a bone). Tendinitis results in extreme pain and tenderness just outside the joint. If the condition is severe and leads to its rupture, you may require surgical intervention. By and large, most cases of tendinitis are successfully managed with rest, medicines and physical therapy.
The hamstrings are muscles at the back of your thighs which help in the flexion of the knee joint. The hamstrings continue as tendons which attach at the back of the knee bones. These tendons could get inflamed, thus resulting in hamstring tendonitis. Excessive recent sport activity or traumas are important causes.
Although tendinitis occurs due to a sudden injury, it is more likely to develop due to repetition of a particular movement over a protracted period of time. A lot of the individuals develop tendinitis because their hobby or job entails repetitive motions, which put a lot of stress on the tendons needed to carry out the tasks.
Clinical presentation of tendinitis is:
- Pain at the back of the knee, and particularly on moving the affected joint.
- Tenderness.
- Mild swelling.
Natural Remedies For Hamstring Tendonitis
The chief aim of the treatment is to allay the pain and diminish the inflammation. You will also benefit from a program of exercise designed to strengthen and stretch the affected muscle-tendon. Depending on the severity of your tendon injury, surgical repair may be needed. The following guidelines help manage hamstring tendonitis effectively:
- Rest: Steer clear of all the activities which aggravate the pain and swelling. Rest is very important for tissue healing. You can do activities which do not stress the injured tendon.
- Ice application: To assuage the pain, swelling and muscle spasms apply ice to the injured area for about 10 minutes, several times in a day. Do not apply the ice directly, use an ice bag or wrap the ice in a cloth.
- For chronic cases, heat helps increase the flow of blood to the muscle and tendon. Ultrasound is recommended.
- Compression: You need to compress the area until the swelling ceases. A compressive elastic bandage is advisable.
- Elevation: Elevate the affected leg above the level of the heart in order to decrease the swelling.
- Massage is recommended too. Use essential oils such as nutmeg, ginger, cinnamon, and clove; these help reduce the swelling quickly and consequently decrease the pain as well. Blend one of the essential oils with base oil such as almond or olive and massage gently.
- Experts advise ginger tea too. Gingerols in ginger fight inflammation and swelling almost instantaneously and thereby manage the pain successfully.
Rehab Exercises For Hamstring Tendonitis
Rest is an essential part of effectively managing tendinitis, however, continued inactivity causes stiffness. After a few days of complete rest, gently move the knee through its full range of movement to maintain flexibility. The following exercises will help manage tendinitis:
Knee flexion: Stand on one leg and bend the other one using gravity as resistance. Do 2 sets of 10 repetitions once a day. This will strengthen the hamstrings as well as the quadriceps.
Bridge pose: Lie on your back, bend the knees and push the hips upwards to work the hamstrings. Use both feet on the floor pushing up to begin with. Hold the pose momentarily and then lower. Repeat at least 5 times.