Tendonitis Relief: Simple Steps That Actually Help
Tendonitis hurts and slows you down. You don’t need complicated treatments to get relief. Start with a few clear actions that reduce pain, help the tendon heal, and cut the chance it comes back.
First aid that works: stop the activity that caused the pain but don’t immobilize the joint for weeks. Use ice on the sore area for 10–15 minutes every 2–3 hours for the first 48–72 hours to reduce inflammation. After a few days, switch to a warm-up heat pack for 10 minutes before activity to loosen the area. Short-term over-the-counter pain relievers like ibuprofen or naproxen can help for a few days—use as directed and avoid long-term reliance on pills.
Practical exercises and therapy
After the acute pain eases, the best step is slow, controlled loading of the tendon. Eccentric exercises are the go-to: they strengthen the tendon while guiding safe healing. For Achilles tendonitis, try heel drops off a step—slowly lower the heel below the step level, then lift up with both feet and repeat. For tennis elbow, use slow wrist-lowering motions with a light weight. Do two sessions a day, 3 sets of 10–15 reps, and increase load very gradually. If exercises hurt intensely, back off for a day and try again at lower intensity.
Physical therapy helps if you’re stuck. A therapist will give the right progressions, correct movement patterns, and use techniques like soft-tissue work or taping to reduce stress on the tendon. Braces, heel lifts, or kinesiology tape can relieve load while you rebuild strength.
When to get medical help and how to prevent recurrence
See a doctor if pain is severe, you can’t use the limb, there’s sudden swelling, or symptoms don’t improve after 4–6 weeks of conservative care. Your doctor may suggest an ultrasound, cortisone injection (used carefully), or other treatments like PRP in specific cases.
Preventing tendonitis is about smart training and recovery. Increase activity by no more than 10% per week, use proper shoes, warm up well, and include regular strength and mobility work for the muscles around the tendon. Pay attention to sleep, eat adequate protein and vitamin C for tissue repair, and avoid smoking—tendon healing slows when circulation is poor.
Small, consistent changes beat quick fixes. Stop the painful movement, control inflammation, start guided loading exercises, and get help if things stall. With steady care you can reduce pain and get back to normal activities without the tendon flaring up again.