Tendons: The difficulty with treating tendonitis and tendinosis is that these afflictions are the results of a long accumulation of smaller injuries over months and years. Because the tears and pulls of the tendons weren’t treated as they occurred, the damage has become mostly permanent. These two specific tendon injuries can lead to a lifetime of difficulty with the movement of the affected areas. There is no way to permanently cure tendonitis or tendinosis, however the damage can be relieved by physical therapy and rest over an extended period of time. Unfortunately, for people who count on the original repetitive motion for their career, it means they will not be able to continue that job.

When treating tendon tears, the first step is using a cast or splint to immobilize the affected area. Continuous movement of an injured tendon can worsen the injury. As the tendon will become inflamed and swollen, anti-inflammatory medicine should be taken as a means of reducing the pain and swelling. For tendon injuries of medium severity, it may be necessary to commit to basic physical therapy, participating in simple exercises to keep the muscle healthy and active. A brace may also be used to inhibit the tendon’s movement in any manner that it is unaccustomed to.

In the most serious instances of tendon injury, surgery will be necessary to repair ruptures and tears. Physical therapy will be required after any surgery.

Ligaments: When it comes to sprains and strains in ligaments, the severity of the injury will determine whether or not surgery will be necessary. Severe sprains and strains will always require surgery, as the most important factor in tears and ruptures is adequate healing. Additionally, the victim will need the assistance of crutches or a wheelchair during recovery due to the forced immobilization of the joint in cases of knee and ankle ligament damage. The injury could also be career threatening in certain professions, and surgery will expedite the healing process considerably quicker than individual treatment. In some extreme cases, the ligament may be beyond repair, and surgery would include the use of tissue from another part of the body to replace the ligament, or the ligament may not be replaced at all. Extensive physical therapy will follow any surgical procedure. In many cases of severe ligament damage, multiple surgeries could be required, as well as extensive rehabilitation and medical attention.

For less intense strains and sprains, surgery may not be required but attention to detail is the key factor in treating the injury, if the victim has opted not to pursue professional medical attention. The injured ligament should be iced three to four times per day, combined with light massaging and stretching. After the first day of ice treatment, the victim should switch to a heat source, such as an analgesic or heating pad, to treat the wound. The injured joint should be wrapped in bandages at any time that it is not being treated to promote stability and keep motion to a minimum.

Fascia: The cause of the pain and additional symptoms of a fascia injury is a nerve that is no longer in its intended positions. The simple solution to treating and repairing a fascia injury is to release the impeded nerve and alleviate the pain. In order to do that, the fascia must be relaxed, as the initial cause of the nerve shifting is stress. It’s nearly impossible to locate the one nerve that is doing the damage, so the best way to approach treating the fascia is to implement light stretching and rubbing of the entire area surrounding the source of the pain. It is best to begin right at the point of most pain and then slowly work away from it. Once the fascia is relieved of the stress, the nerve will slide back to its normal position and the pain will subside.