
Muscle and tendon pain can significantly impact your daily life, affecting everything from work to recreational activities. At Wanneroo Physiotherapy, we understand how frustrating and limiting these conditions can be. This guide explores the causes, symptoms, and treatment options available to help you get back to doing what you love.
What Causes Muscle and Tendon Pain?
Muscle and tendon pain, often referred to as musculoskeletal pain, can be caused by a variety of factors:
Overuse or Repetitive Strain: Repeated movements, especially in physically demanding jobs or sports.
Acute Injuries: Sprains, strains, or direct trauma can result in pain and inflammation.
Posture: Prolonged postures can place stress on muscles and tendons, leading to discomfort over time.
Sudden Changes in Activity: Sudden increases in training intensity or starting a new exercise program can overload tendons, leading to pain and dysfunction.
Muscle Pain: From Soreness to Strain
Muscle pain can range from mild post-exercise soreness (delayed onset muscle soreness, or DOMS) to more severe conditions like hematomas (corks) or muscle strains.
Muscle strain typically occurs when the muscle fibres cannot cope with the demand placed on them during high-load, high-speed exercise, leading to tearing of the fibres. The most affected muscles are those that cross two joints and have a higher percentage of fast-twitch muscle fibres, such as the quadriceps, hamstrings, and calf muscles in the lower limb. Symptoms of muscle strain include:
Focal tenderness to touch in the muscle belly
Pain on stretching the muscle
Pain on contraction of the muscle
Decreased strength and flexibility of the muscle
Muscle strains are classified/graded, indicating both the severity (mild, moderate, severe) and the expected time to full recovery.
Tendon Pain: Understanding Tendinopathy
Tendon pain often results from sudden changes in activity levels that load the tendon. This change could involve an increase in training loads in athletes or simply starting an exercise program in sedentary individuals. To adapt to the increasing demand, the tendon undergoes a process to make itself thicker and stronger. However, changes in its physical structure during this process can result in pain and dysfunction, known as tendinopathy. Common tendinopathies include:
Patellar tendon (jumper's knee)
Achilles tendon
Rotator cuff tendons
Golfer’s or tennis elbow
How Physiotherapy Can Help
Physiotherapy is a highly effective way to manage and treat muscle and tendon pain. Our experienced team at Wanneroo Physiotherapy offers a range of services tailored to your individual needs, including:
Comprehensive Assessment: Identifying the root cause of your pain through a full musculoskeletal assessment to determine contributing factors such as training intensity, general conditioning, or neuromuscular control.
Manual Therapy: Hands-on techniques like massage, joint mobilisation, and trigger point therapy to reduce pain and improve mobility.
Exercise Prescription: Customised home exercise programs including muscle flexibility, joint mobility, and strengthening exercises to support long-term recovery.
Posture and Ergonomic Advice: Guidance on maintaining good posture and setting up your workspace to prevent recurrence.
Education and Self-Management: Empowering you with knowledge and strategies to manage your condition effectively.
Criteria-Based Rehabilitation
Return to sport or other activities is generally guided by criteria such as achieving adequate, pain-free muscle strength and flexibility in the affected region. This type of rehabilitation aims to prevent recurrence of the injury and ensure a smooth, issue-free return to activity.
Reducing The Risk of Muscle and Tendon Pain
Prevention is always better than cure. Here are some tips to reduce your risk:
Warm-Up and Cool Down: Always prepare your body before and after exercise.
Frequent Change in Posture: Be mindful of prolonged postures and change postures regularly- "your next posture is the best posture."
Stay Active: Regular exercise helps keep your muscles and tendons strong and flexible.
Listen to Your Body: Modify your activity if you’re feeling fatigued or experiencing discomfort.
Why Choose Wanneroo Physiotherapy?
With years of experience and a passion for helping our community, we’re committed to supporting you on your journey to recovery. In your initial consultation, our physiotherapists can guide you in the best management of your muscle and tendon pain. Don’t let pain hold you back, contact Wanneroo Physiotherapy today to book your consultation!