Beware of Nintendonitis!

To everyone who received a Nintendo Wii for Christmas and played it all day for the last few days, beware of waking up with sore arms and shoulders. You now have NINTENDONITIS!

What is a tendon?
A tendon is a tough band of fibrous tissue that connects your muscles to the bones. The skeletal muscles in your body are responsible for moving your bones, thus enabling you to walk, jump, lift, and move in many ways. When a muscle contracts it pulls on a tendon which pulls on the bone to cause movements. When functioning normally, these tendons glide easily and smoothly as the muscle contracts.
What is tendonitis?
Sometimes the tendons become inflamed and the action of pulling the muscle becomes irritating. If the normal smooth gliding motion of your tendon is impaired, the tendon will become inflamed and movement will painful. This is called tendonitis, and literally means inflammation of the tendon.
What causes tendonitis?
The most common cause of tendonitis is overuse. Commonly, individuals begin an exercise program, or increase their level of exercise, and begin to experience symptoms of tendonitis. The tendon is unaccustomed to the new level of demand, and this overuse will cause an inflammation and tendonitis.
Treatment for tendonitis.
Below is some advice for tendonitis treatment and avoiding recurrences of this problem. As with any treatment program, talk with your doctor before you begin tendonitis treatment! In order to aid healing you should:
· Rest - Tendonitis treatment must begin by avoiding aggravating movements. This may mean taking a break from a favorite activity for a period of time, but this is a necessary step to allow the inflamed tendon to heal. It is also recommended in tendonitis treatment to try alternative activities; for example alternate Wii Tennis and Wii bowling.
· Apply Ice - Icing the area of inflammation is an important aspect of tendonitis treatment. The ice will help to reduce the inflammation and decrease swelling. By minimizing inflammation and swelling, the tendon can heal. Ice is best 15 minutes on and 30 minutes off. Do this 4 to 5 times in a row for the first 3-4 days.
· Try over-the-counter medications - Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory medications (NSAIDs) include a long list of possibilities such as Ibuprofen, Motrin, Naprosyn, Celebrex, and many others. Tendonitis treatment can be improved by these medications that will decrease pain and swelling. Be sure to talk to your doctor before starting these medications.
· Take Frequent Breaks - Alternate repetitive tasks with breaks to relieve stress on the tendons. Don't perform one activity continuously for hours at a time. For those with exercise-related tendonitis, try to vary your workouts to relieve the repetitive stress of one exercise activity.
· Try Chiropractic Care - A Chiropractic adjustment, physiotherapy, stretching and exercises can help speed up healing of “Nintendonitis” and prevent reoccurrences.

The steps listed above are usually adequate “Nintendonitis” treatment, and most patients have resolution of their symptoms. Learning to reduce or avoid activities that may cause a flare-up can also be important.