At first it was a distinct pain only occurring when you moved a certain way, like sweeping or bicycling. Overtime, it may have graduated to a chronic aching which accompanies the original acute pain.

It may be difficult to put a finger on the exact location of the pain. When you bend, lift, or twist a certain way the pain fires up or down the specific body part, seeming to come from everywhere at once.

You may only be able to determine the exact location once you physically press on the tissue around the joint while performing the motion.

When pressed, a super-intense, searing pain occurs. When the chronic pain also develops, the whole body part aches but it is still most severe in that same location.

Does this sound like you? Does that pain sound familiar? If so you are one of the thousands of people who suffer from one of the many forms of tendonitis or “tendinitis” as it is referred to in the medical community.

Perhaps you have been diagnosed by a doctor or another medical professional, but you either doubt the diagnosis or it was not fully explained.

Maybe you are trying to self diagnose your symptoms. Either way, you have found this article because you still have questions about your condition and you want to know more.

Chances are, you want to know how to stop the pain. Because knowledge empowers us to help our selves, consider this your crash course on your condition and treating tendonitis.

What Is Tendonitis?

If you remember the basics of grade school biology, you may remember the most common picture of human anatomy showing the bones of a skeleton covered in muscle tissue from head to toe.

The skeleton provides the support structure and leverage for all of our body’s motion. The muscles expand and contract to move the skeletal structure and create your every motion. Without these two essential body parts, you would just be a lump of flesh who can’t even chew food or breathe.

If you were to look closely at the anatomy graphic, you would see “cords”, similar to outstretched rubber bands, at the end of every muscle. The cords connect the muscle to the bone.

Like rubber bands or bungees, they stretch and flex with the muscle, pulling on the bone and creating fluid motion. These thick, flexible bands are your tendons.

Because the primary purpose of the tendon is to facilitate motion, the primary injury to a tendon results from motion. Sometimes there is an intense injury from a one-time motion like a fall or an accident, causing a sprain which will normally heal quickly.

Chances are you did not heal quickly, because you are not experiencing a sprain but instead have the classic symptoms of tendonitis.

The precise causes of tendonitis vary for each person, but all tendonitis cases are the result of a repetitive motion injury. This means the body part, specifically the joint, has repeatedly made a movement which over-strained the tendon.

It may be the movement was repeatedly done using too much force or resistance. It is more likely the motion was done in a manner that repeatedly pulled the tendon beyond its normal capability and range.

Each time the body moved in this manner, microscopic tears occurred in the tendons. At first, you may not have had tendonitis symptoms. As the repetitive motion continues, the tears get deeper and spread. Sooner or later, the pain shows up every time you make that motion.

It is not a surface pain, it radiates deep within your skin. However, it also feels different than a bone injury, such as a break, which would constantly throb throughout the bone. .

Because your tendon nerves predominately carry impulses from the core of your body, to your tendon, and then outward through your muscles toward your extremities, the pain also travels in this direction.

This is distinctive from most similar injuries which radiate out in all directions. There is no numbness or tingling sensations, which are common symptoms of similar injuries like nerve damage.

If the problem goes untreated, the tears will continue to spread. Eventually, similar motions will trigger pain as well. As the tendonitis develops, all movements may begin to hurt.

This is considered the chronic pain of tendonitis, but the sharp pain still happens when you repeat the original damaging motion.

Why Do You Have Tendonitis?

You now know a repetitive motion has caused your tendonitis, but you may be unsure what that means. Most people repeat motions every day of their lives without injury, so you may have difficulty determining the specific motion causing your problem.

It is very normal to suffer pain from a motion when your peers do not. This is because you have an increased susceptibility to the condition, either in the way you perform the motion, how much you strain your muscles, or your biological tendency toward weakened tendons.

Each person’s individual tendonitis causes are unique.

For example, forearm tendonitis, also known as tennis elbow or golfer’s elbow, is one of the most common forms of tendonitis.

As the name implies, it frequently occurs during sports which require the tendons in the forearm to swing, lift, punch, or generally move in an unnatural way, such as swinging a golf club.

Pitcher’s shoulder, swimmer’s shoulder, and jumper’s knee are examples of similar forms of tendonitis in different parts of the body.

Not every tennis player or golfer will get tendonitis in the forearm, it occurs when the patient’s tendons are either too weak or are ill-prepared for the repetitive motion.

Furthermore, athletes are not the only people who can get tendonitis in the forearm. Non-athletes who perform similar repetitive movements like waxing floors, trimming weeds, or hammering nails can also get “tennis elbow” for the same reason.

The same goes for all other forms of tendonitis. You do not have to be an athlete to suffer from tendonitis. In fact, some forms of tendonitis, especially in the lower body, are the result of not being athletic or sporty.

For example, achilles tendonitis (tendonitis of the achilles tendon on the back of your heel), typically occurs because your tendons are out of shape due to inactivity and are not capable of healthily supporting your extra weight when you walk.

Don’t dismiss your symptoms in any tendon simply because the condition is nicknamed after a sport. Don’t look for a more complicated explanation when the simplest one is most correct.

If these symptoms sound like yours and you perform any type of repetitive motion with the affected joint, you need treatment for tendonitis.

Treating and Curing Tendonitis: Short and Long Term Relief

In this day and age we expect instant results. We do what we must to feel better as soon as possible. We commit fully to a tendonitis treatment plan and, if it is a quality treatment, the plan works. The pain goes away and you find relief.

Unfortunately, treating tendonitis is typically a reactive type of therapy. In other words, the pain occurs and you react to make the pain go away.

However, most treatment plans stop as soon as relief is found. All is well and good, until the repetitive motion begins to cause tears once more and the pain resurfaces. You must start your tendonitis treatments over to find relief once more.

There is something to be said for short-term relief. If tendonitis pain is interfering with you life, it is hard to think about anything else. You absolutely must find relief right away.

However, don’t stop once the pain goes away. Keep working to improve your tendons so you can find lasting relief from tendonitis.

This is when you must be reactive but you must also become proactive, you must act to prevent the recurrence of tendonitis. Essentially, you must cure your tendonitis to make sure it never comes back. The e-book Tennis Elbow Secrets Revealed can help you get both short and long term relief to your pain.

In the book, you will learn the details of using RICE (rest, ice, compression, and elevation) to quickly stop tendonitis pain. You will learn how to use a tendonitis brace to amplify the benefits of both rest and compression. You will also learn safe alternatives to traditional anti-inflammatory medicines to help relieve your immediate pain, reduce swelling, and speed up healing.

Once you have stopped your immediate pain, Tennis Elbow Secrets Revealed will teach you the principles to avoiding a relapse. You learn to condition and tone your muscles and tendons, making them resistant to tears even when under great strain or when moving unnaturally. The book’s techniques are especially useful because they do not require expensive gym equipment and deliver gym-quality results using common household items. The book will also teach you how to nourish your tendons from the inside out, to support your strength and flexibility training.

Tendonitis in the forearm (tennis elbow) is the most common form of tendonitis. Therefore the book’s primary focus is on this part of your body. However, all tendons behave the same. They move the same, strengthen the same, flex the same, tear the same, and heal the same. If you suffer from another form of tendonitis, learning the training and treatment fundamentals in this book will help you develop similarly effective strategies for your ailing tendon, no matter where it is located. Remember, knowledge is power and now you have the knowledge to cure your pain.

In simple terms, tennis elbow tendonitis means a repetitive action strained and caused tiny tears in the outer (lateral) tendons of your forearm arm which form and move your elbow.

These tiny tears can build up and cause a rather severe pain when the arm is moved in the same repetitive motion. If left untreated, it can get bad enough to ache from any movement at all. It can feel almost incapacitating.

As the name implies, this injury frequently occurs during racket sports like tennis or racquetball, especially those with a “backhand”. Non-athletes should not be fooled by the name.

It is just as likely to show up from any number of repetitive actions. Hammering, digging, raking, using vibrating tools, and all similar actions are known causes of tennis elbow.

Why do most people perform these movements with no problem, but you suffer from pain? Why are your tendons more vulnerable than others? The answer is tennis elbow predisposition and recognizing it is an important part of your cure.

Identifying the Cause Is Critical To Recovery

Physical therapy will help the pain, but identifying the source is vital to a permanent cure. Repetitive motion damage often occurs over an extended period of time, making it difficult to pinpoint the exact cause.

For example, a two month long pain was probably not caused, but only agitated, when you painted for the first time this weekend. You will have to examine other aspects of your life which make you vulnerable.

On the other hand, tennis elbow has been known to suddenly appear after an unusual repetitive action. In the same example, if you have never had tennis elbow pain but suddenly feel sore after a weekend of painting, then the painting probably caused the problem. Your arm should feel better soon, but you have identified a predisposition toward tennis elbow in the future.

When determining the cause of your pain, it is important to first examine your predisposition to the problem.

What is tennis elbow predisposition? It essentially means that certain circumstances unique to your body or your life are triggering tennis elbow more frequently than other people.

While every person is unique, there are certain similarities among those predisposed to tennis elbow. Predisposition can be broken into 3 categories: athletic, lifestyle, and anatomical. If you can determine which category you fall into, you will have better insight into your cure.

Athletic Predisposition

Not every case of tennis elbow is from sports, but its frequency is what earned it an athletic nickname. Of course, not every athlete gets tennis elbow. The difference between the ones that do and the ones that don’t is frequently their athletic predisposition.

The first thing you must look at is your current physical capability versus the motion you are trying to perform. Tennis elbow isn’t caused by lifting too much weight all at once; it is by over-straining your lateral tendon repeatedly.

This is why you should always let your current endurance level tell you when you’ve had too much. If you are not a super-athlete, you shouldn’t try to play like one.

Professional athletes have years of strength training to support their aggressive play. If you have not trained your arms to maintain this kind of athleticism, you are going to cause damage. Although you might feel a rush when you play a too-intense game, it is not worth the pain afterward. Instead, train your game up to that level.

Next, how’s your form? Every sport has a right way and a wrong way to do it. Using the correct form enhances athletic performance, but it also keeps you injury proof.

These days, many people begin playing sports and are self-taught or taught by a peer who also plays the game. It is great to get out and exercise, but if you’re planning to play long-term it is time you received professional lessons.

Finally, always make sure you use the right athletic equipment. The right equipment significantly reduces tendon strain.

For example, a loosely strung racquet vibrates 5X longer than one strung properly, each vibration tearing your tendon. When you use a racquet, club, or bat with a handle too small or too large for your hand, you constantly compensate in your grip and move your arm awkwardly to adjust, further tearing at your tendons.

The wrong equipment makes you vulnerable to tennis elbow. Only a professional or coach will be able to tell you if you are using the right equipment for you body. While you’re taking lessons on form, make sure you also ask for an equipment check.

Lifestyle Predisposition

In many ways, a lifestyle predisposition is very similar to athletic predisposition. Essentially, they are almost the same tennis elbow causes. It breaks down to capability and form.

Are you a couch potato or are you sedentary? When muscles are inactive, they begin to break down. They get smaller and weaker. A weaker muscle is going to tear more easily and take longer to heal.

If you are not active, you are setting yourself up for tennis elbow pain, especially if you suddenly take on an unusually intense activity. It is even truer since your inactivity probably means you are not trained to have good form.

Form is not only important in sports, it is important at home and at work.

For example, professional movers know to carry a box close to their body with their elbows safely bent. Novices tend to put their arms under a box and extend their elbows, tearing at their tendons the whole time.

For every motion you make, from sweeping to carrying grocery bags, there is a correct way and wrong way. Research the right form for your most repetitive activities and you will greatly cut down on your predisposition.

Anatomical Predisposition

Finally, there is an anatomical predisposition to tennis elbow to consider. If you have had previous problems with tendonitis, especially in your arms, you must always keep it in mind. There is always a heightened risk of reinjuring yourself.

Tendons and muscles are comprised of protein fibers. Your body needs certain fuel to build and repair healthy tendons.

You need dietary protein for the building blocks, natural calcium to repair the tissue which connects the tendon to the bone, and a good multi-vitamin to accelerate healing. If you aren’t getting these nutrients or if you have a medical condition which inhibits nutrient absorption, your body is at a higher risk for tendonitis.

This type of predisposition doesn’t mean you stop playing sports or you quit a repetitive motion job, it means you concentrate on doing the right thing for your body. Pay extra attention to always having the right form, fitness level, and equipment for anything you do.

Give your body plenty of the right fuel it needs to keep your tendons healthy. If you have a previous injury, take additional precaution using braces and stretching to prevent a future injury. Anatomical predisposition can be overcome with vigilance and care.

The Next Step

Now you understand tennis elbow predisposition. You should have a better understanding of what causes tennis elbow and how to correct the problem. However, identification is only half the journey.

Your next step is to heal, nourish, and strengthen your tendons to overcome your predisposition toward reinjuring your elbow.

This is where the e-book, Tennis Elbow Secrets, comes in handy. In this e-book you will learn the basics of RICE (Rest, Ice, Compression, and Elevation) therapy for acute cases.

You will also learn the 7 simple steps to a full recovery, including the most important exercise used to prevent a relapse. In the e-book you will also find additional resources for understanding tennis elbow and establishing a strategy to cure it.

Take the time to analyze your activities and your body. It will probably not be a quick task, but with concentration you should be able to identify the cause of your pain and your unique disposition to the injury. Once you know your vulnerabilities, you can alter your tennis elbow strategy to stop further damage and get cured faster.

Your joints, especially your elbows, have to bear the largest burden throughout the day. In fact, scientists believe that your elbow’s muscles and tendons are one of the most used in your body. With so much use, it is no wonder that tennis elbow, or tendonitis, is the most prevalent injury humans sustain.

Now that you have this tendonitis, it is time to start getting better. The longer the problem goes without treatment and healing, the worse it will get. One of the most important steps to healing from your tendonitis is to give your body the nourishment it needs to do the necessary growth and repairs quickly and correctly.

The Different Components of Your Elbow

It is important that you understand the structure of the joint if you are going to nourish your tendonitis in elbow. Your injury affects every part of your elbow and every part must heal. However, they each need different nourishment and therapeutic efforts to fully heal and become injury proof.

Obviously, bone is an essential part of your joint. Your skeletal structure is what supports all of your movement. Of course, your injury is not in your bone, but your bone still plays an important role in curing tendonitis of the elbow.

Remember everything you ever heard about the importance of lifting with good posture or you will hurt your back? Your other joints are no different. You must always be sure that you use the correct posture in all of your activities, from lifting to sports. If your bones are in alignment, it will put less strain on your muscles and tendons.

Lying on top of your bone and directing movement are your muscles. It is moving your arm muscles that typically increases your elbow tendonitis symptoms. They are composed of mainly from strands of protein.

Muscles are defined as the contracting tissue that gives you the ability to move and produce force. In plain language, this means you cannot move, lift, or perform any other activity without your muscles. All day long your use your arm and forearm muscles, but they can still easily be compromised if not cared for properly.

Muscles, especially the type in your arms, are very unique to most other parts of your body. The strength and size of a muscle is entirely determined by you. If you nourish your muscle, it will be stronger and more fortified and if you abuse your muscle, you are going to be weak and injury prone.

Attaching the muscle to the bone and running the length of the muscle, essentially making all supported movement possible, are your tendons. As you may have guessed, this is the primary body part affected when you suffer from tendonitis in the elbow.

Tendons are like nature’s rubber bands, holding muscles in place but still allowing your body to bend, stretch, contract, and remain flexible. These “bands” are composed of the proteins called collagen and elastin.

Collagen, next to bone, is one of the strongest substances in your body. While the exact structure varies throughout your body, in your elbow collagen is very dense.

However, it maintains a fibrous structure that allows you to move. Using the rubber band explanation, collagen is the material that holds the rubber band together.

Elastin is like the elastic in the rubber band that allows it to stretch great distances and then retract to its original shape. Elastin is also made from protein, but lighter protein molecules that are arranged in a coil like structure. As you may guess, it is this coil structure that gives elastin its flexibility and strength.

Now you know how your elbow is constructed. When you are healing from tennis elbow tendonitis, it is always important that keep this in mind. When you are injured, you will know now exactly what nutrients your body needs to rebuild.

Giving Your Elbow the Nourishment It Needs To Rebuild

During that lesson on elbow structure, what word did you read over and over again? If you answered protein, you are right. Protein is responsible for more than 45% of your dry body mass. It is one of the most essential elements in your body. Without enough protein, you simply could not live.

Your body creates the specific proteins and protein based amino-acids that comprise your muscles and tendons. However, you still have to provide the ingredients for these proteins. Put simply, this means you have to consume what your body needs.

Because it takes protein to build protein, the first ingredient is to eat more protein. Since most of your body is comprised of protein and needs it to thrive, you have to eat more protein than normal if you are healing from tendonitis tennis elbow.

Unfortunately, not all protein was created equal and consuming the wrong kind of protein can do more harm than good. Plant based proteins, like those made from soy beans, are difficult for your body to digest. When your body has trouble digesting a food, more of the nutrients are removed as waste instead of absorbed.

Animal protein is the most superior form of protein, supplying the most nutrients your body needs to rebuild. In fact, many patients recovering from elbow tendonitis surgery are given an animal protein rich diet for recovery. However, many animal based proteins can also be bad for you because of their high fat content.

Beef, pork, lamb, and protein from milk are loaded with fat. This fat is easy for your body to absorb, almost instantly increasing your body fat and weight and decreasing your health and strength. Always remember, anything that compromises your body will make your elbow tendonitis treatment less effective.

Although some animal based proteins are not recommended for healing, some are quite excellent. Lean proteins, such as chicken and fish, should be an important part of your diet while you are healing. These will give you the highest concentration of proteins without the fat to degrade you.

In addition to eating plenty of protein, make sure you drink plenty of water. Your body, especially your tendons and muscles, is made from mostly water. Your body does not produce water. This means all of the water in your body comes from what you consume. While you can get water from your food, it is a safe bet to drink at least 80 ounces of water every day.

You should also take a regular vitamin and mineral supplement each day. Your body uses vitamins and minerals in all of its processes. Different supplements provide different nourishment.

For example, vitamin C helps your body build collagen but vitamin B helps your body absorb protein. A good daily supplement with multiple vitamins and minerals should be all you need to adequately nourish your healing elbow.

Become Injury Proof

Now that you have learned how to promote healing from your injury, you need to learn how to remain injury free. If you do not make an effort to correct your problems that lead to your elbow tendonitis symptoms you are bound to have a repeated injury. The next time, the injury could be far worse and more debilitating.

Tendonitis of elbow tissue has occurred because the muscles were used beyond their strength and the tendons were stretched beyond their ability.

This is good news. As you read earlier about muscles, you are entirely in charge of how strong and big your muscle is. Likewise, it is up to you to make sure that your tendons remain flexible and able to stretch adequately without damage.

You need to perform physical strength and flexibility training to achieve the results you need to stay injury free. Fortunately for you, there is a program available that will teach you everything you know to achieve this goal.

The e-book Tennis Elbow Secrets Revealed was developed by Geoff Hunt to give you this instruction. Hunt’s program will teach you a series of elbow tendonitis exercises that build muscle, but keep the tendons as flexible as possible. Many tennis elbow sufferers who used this program were often amazed at how quickly their pain went away and stayed away.

No matter how you nourish your injured elbow, it will remain at risk unless you make a sincere effort to remain injury free. It is not difficult to exercise, stretch, and flex your muscles but you will have to be diligent about sticking to the program. If you do, your diligence will be well rewarded because you will remain pain free for the rest of your life.