The most common tendons that will get tendonitis in the shoulder could be any of the 4
rotator cuff tendons
and the biceps tendon. (See Bicep Tendon Injuries.)
Longstanding tendonitis will chronically decrease blood flow to the tendon (which doesn't have good blood
flow to begin with). The tendon will begin to fray and become very brittle making it very easy to tear.
This is called Tendonopathy.
| 1. |
Adhesion. Adhesions will pull a muscle tight,
keeping it's tendons under constant tension.
The tendon becomes overworked and inflames. If the adhesions are not removed, the tendonitis always seems
to come back. Many people will stop activity for weeks or even months to allow the tendonitis to heal.
As soon as they go back to the activity, the pain returns. The reason the pain returns is that the adhesions
were never taken care of. This ends up causing chronic tendonitis and possibly a tendonopathy. Remember,
repetitive / overuse syndromes create adhesions and are the most common cause of tendonitis.
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| 2. |
Strength and Flexibility Imbalances. A weak
rotator cuff
will be more prone to tendonitis due to obvious reasons.
It cannot handle even small demands when used. The muscles and tendons become overworked and inflame.
Imbalances in the Scapula Muscles
will also increase the load on the rotator cuff. Remember, the
Scapula Muscles provide enormous stability to the shoulder. If they are out of sync, the
rotator cuff takes the load of work.
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| 3. |
Structural Damage or Alteration. Direct
damage to a tendon will, again, create adhesion within that tendon
when it attempts to heal. Once the adhesions form, the tendon is more likely to become chronic
and inflamed resulting in tendonitis.
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Remember, the number one cause for tendonitis is some type of overuse activity (like tennis, pitching, weights,
etc.). The first treatment is to take care of the inflammation. In this case, ice over the affected area is best.
After a couple days, when the tendon and muscle attempts to heal, it will almost certainly lay down adhesion
formation to mend the area. ART can help 'undo' the adhesion that is creating the ongoing pain, allowing the
tendon to heal properly.
Once the adhesions are cleared, a proper strengthening program is essential for full recovery. However,
if rehab is started before the adhesions have been cleared, the tendonitis can get worse.
