How does physiotherapy aid inflammation?

Question

My sister is going to go to a physiotherapist for treatment of tendonitis in her wrist (I don't know which muscle is involved). It's fairly late at night and she just text me to ask how exercises can aid inflammation. So I immediately thought of asking here; any physiotherapist type people who can explain it?

I know what a tendon is :-) It's just that I did ask a physiotherapist friend what the exercises would be, but she said without knowing whether it's the flexor or extensor muscle is involved she couldn't say. I didn't want to keep badgering her that's why I asked on here!

I know muscles aren't involved in tendonitis but obviously as tendons are attached to muscles there will be muscles involved in the exercises.

Answer 1

Usually with tendonitis there is NO muscle involved. Tendons are the rubbery attachments that hold muscle to bone, and usually lie in a channel between the bone and surrounding muscles. Tendons can become sore and inflamed or swollen when they are not correctly aligned within this channel or as a result of overstimulation.

Physical therapy helps to overcome the inflammation by moving the affected area within its normal range of movement to "express" or remove liquid trapped within the tendon, and surrounding muscle. For example, people who get tennis elbow are encourage to move the elbow joint several times a day....Think of your tendons as rubber bands...if you don't use them they become less stretchy...that's the idea.

Answer 2

Tendinitis is inflammation or irritation of a tendon (not a muscle) — any one of the thick fibrous cords that attach muscles to bone. The condition, which causes pain and tenderness just outside a joint.
If tendinitis is severe and leads to the rupture of a tendon, surgical repair may be needed. But many times, rest and anti-inflammatory medications (such as NSAIDs: ibuprofen, aspirin, etc..) to reduce the pain and inflammation of tendinitis may be enough.
Recently, though, new techniques have been developed.
Among those, Deep transverse friction massage (DTFM) is one of several physiotherapy interventions suggested for the management of tendinitis pain.