Tendonitis is inflammation of a tendon caused by repetitive strain or injury, most often affecting the shoulder, Achilles, elbow, or hip. At Rocky Point Stem Cell Therapy, we treat tendonitis with stem cell therapy designed to reduce inflammation and pain in the affected tendon so you can get back to your daily activities.

Causes of Tendonitis

  • Tendonitis is a condition caused by repetitive strain or injury to tendons, resulting in pain and inflammation.
  • Common activities such as gardening, painting, throwing a ball, pitching, skiing, and heavy lifting can all cause tendonitis if proper warm-up exercises are not done beforehand.
  • Athletes should be especially careful to take precautionary measures to prevent tendonitis from developing due to overuse or poor warm-up habits.
  • Working out in cold temperatures can cause tendonitis, as can using improper sporting techniques.
  • Poor posture and repetitive awkward positions can also increase the risk of developing tendonitis.
  • Excess weight puts unnecessary pressure on your tendons and could contribute to tendonitis, so maintaining a healthy body mass index (BMI) is important.
  • Starting your exercise routine with a few slow stretches to warm up the muscles, and properly cooling down afterward, can help prevent tendonitis.
  • Avoid repetitive motions and take regular breaks throughout the day, including stretch breaks, to reduce fatigue and pain.

Common Types of Tendonitis

  • Achilles Tendonitis is a common issue causing swelling and discomfort in the Achilles heel. It is important to address this condition to prevent further damage and avoid potential ruptures.
  • Lateral Epicondylitis, also known as tennis elbow, is a type of tendonitis commonly found in athletes who play sports such as tennis or perform repetitive activities. The pain is located on the outside of the elbow.
  • Rotator cuff tendonitis is a common cause of long-term shoulder pain and discomfort. Without regenerative medicine treatment, the pain can last 6 to 18 months.

Treatment Options for Tendonitis

  • A comprehensive suite of treatment options is available to address tendonitis.
  • Icing helps reduce inflammation and improve blood flow, while casts, wraps, and splints help provide joint relief.
  • Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory medications are used to treat pain and swelling. If these do not work, cortisone injections can be used.
  • Surgery is the last resort and involves removing soft tissue to give the tendon enough space to move without irritation.
  • Stem cell therapy can be a viable option for treating tendonitis if other treatments have failed. This treatment harnesses the healing power of stem cells to reduce inflammation and promote tissue regeneration.

Stem Cell Therapy for Tendonitis

  • Platelet-rich plasma (PRP) combined with stem cell therapy can help cut down recovery time and accelerate tendon repair. This treatment has been used to treat Achilles, hamstring, elbow, biceps, and rotator cuff tendons, utilizing growth factors and proteins produced by PRP along with the regenerative power of stem cells.
  • Rocky Point Stem Cell Therapy’s PRP and stem cell treatments are designed to help reduce pain from tendonitis and arthritis.
  • Over 75% of patients have experienced significant pain relief, while over 90% of patients have avoided surgery.

Tendonitis is one of several musculoskeletal conditions we treat with stem cell therapy. See our Musculoskeletal Stem Cell Therapy overview, or go directly to treatment details for the shoulder, elbow, or hip.

Frequently Asked Questions

Tendonitis is most often caused by repetitive strain or injury to a tendon. Activities like gardening, painting, throwing, pitching, skiing, and heavy lifting can all trigger it, especially without a proper warm-up. Poor posture, improper technique, cold-weather exercise, and excess body weight can also increase the risk.

The most common types are Achilles tendonitis (in the heel), lateral epicondylitis or tennis elbow (pain on the outside of the elbow), and rotator cuff tendonitis (shoulder pain).

Without regenerative medicine treatment, rotator cuff tendonitis pain can last 6 to 18 months.

Conservative options include icing, casts, wraps, and splints, along with non-steroidal anti-inflammatory medications. Cortisone injections may be used if those don’t provide relief. Surgery to remove soft tissue is considered a last resort.

Stem cell therapy, often combined with platelet-rich plasma (PRP), harnesses growth factors and the regenerative power of stem cells to reduce inflammation and promote tissue repair in the affected tendon, which may cut down recovery time.

In our experience, over 75% of patients have experienced significant pain relief with PRP and stem cell treatment, and over 90% have avoided surgery.