University of Iowa Health Science Relations and
Dan Fick, MD
Associate Professor of Family Medicine
First Published: November 2000
Last Revised: September 2003
Peer Review Status: Internally Peer Reviewed

You're rushing to finish your three-mile run just before dark, so you hit the road without warming up. Ten minutes into your run, you feel a hot, searing pain in the back of your leg. It gets worse with each step.

"You're probably experiencing tendinitis, a frequent injury for world-class athletes and weekend warriors alike," says Dr. Daniel Fick, associate clinical professor of family practice at the University of Iowa College of Medicine. "It's especially common among those who participate in repetitive motion sports such as running, swimming, and ball sports."

Tendinitis affects the tendon, the tissue that connects muscle to bone. "The pain is caused by the very exercise people enjoy most," Fick notes. "Many people keep running or playing despite the pain."

The treatment for tendinitis--rest--might dismay active people. "If you have tendinitis, you can expect to wait three to four weeks before resuming your normal workout schedule. The affected joint must be pain-free to heal. That means you can't keep exercising and expect the tendon to heal," Fick says.

Anti-inflammatory medications such as ibuprofen or naproxyn sodium help reduce swelling. Ice packs can also help. Don't use heat on a swollen tendon, he emphasizes. "Heat only fuels the fire for swelling or inflammation."

To prevent tendinitis, stretch every time you exercise. But knowing when to stretch is just as important, Fick says. "A common misconception is that you should stretch before you exercise. When you stretch cold muscles and tendons, the body fires a reflex, tightening the tissue even more, he explains. The appropriate way to stretch is to first warm up by walking or jogging very slowly. Once you've warmed up, stretch the tendon in your leg until the stretch becomes a bit uncomfortable and then hold it for a count of 10. Repeat that exercise three times for each leg. Stretch the tendon that runs down the back of the leg by facing a wall, crossing one leg behind the other and stretching the crossed leg by pushing your hands against the wall. Repeat for the other leg.

"Your goal is to permanently lengthen the tendon. By slowly lengthening the tendon, you'll gradually reduce your chance of tendinitis," Fick says.

Left untreated, tendinitis can become chronic, he adds. "Scar tissue will replace the damaged tendon tissue, making the tendon shorter and weaker."

If you think you have tendinitis, or if you have questions, talk with your physician.