Tendon Injury Prevention

It's rather easy to injure a tendon within the body. All it takes is an awkward movement or repetitive stress to trigger a strain, irritation or inflammation of the tendon. Running and jumping are common causes of tendon injury. Even throwing a ball or swinging a racket can strain or irritate one of your tendons, prompting it to become inflamed. No matter what type of movement or activity that puts you at risk of a tendon injury, there are some simple self-care measures you can adopt to prevent this condition from ever developing.

Stretch

• One of the easiest things you can do to prevent a tendon injury is to stretch, so loosen up those tight tendons before any activity with an overall body stretch. Stretch your legs, hips, arms, shoulders, and even your back and neck. By stretching before any sort of athletic activity, you're improving your range of motion and flexibility, which can go a long way to preventing a tendon injury.

Strengthen

• Along with stretching, strength training can also help to prevent tendon injury. Improve the strength of your muscles with resistance and weight training. Try to work on all your body parts, including your arms, legs, shoulders and back. By strengthening your muscles, you're actually establishing a better foundation to endure the stress and load that often affects the tendons and causes them to become strained or inflamed.

Listen

• While stretching and strengthening can take you quite a ways to preventing tendon injury, make sure to always listen to your body. As you move within a given athletic pursuit, your body tells you when it's had enough by prompting pain, so stop as soon as you experience any sort of discomfort. This too will help you avoid a dreaded strain or injury. Better yet, instead of committing to only one sport, incorporate other athletic activities into your daily regimen. By constantly changing the activity, you avoid repetitive stress and get you into better condition.

Learn

• It is also important to fully understand the activity your subjecting your body to, so take the time to learn the proper technique and mechanics of your chosen sport. When you go into something blind, you're more apt to not just injure a tendon, but possibly pull a muscle or break a bone. If you're able to, sign up for a class before ever starting a new sport. A fitness professional can teach you how to safely approach your athletic pursuits.