Tendon Pain and Treatments

Effective care for tendinopathy, tendinitis, and other tendon-related pain

Tendons connect muscles to bones. If a tendon is painful, abnormally structured, and/or not functioning properly, we call that condition tendinopathy. Tendinopathy can be due to a problem with one tendon or multiple tendons. You may be experiencing tendon pain due to one or more of the following factors:

• Aging
• Inflammation
• Repetitive small injuries, called microtrauma
• Too much strain on your tendon without enough rest and recovery

In most cases, physical therapy and occupational therapy are effective treatment options for tendon pain. Physical and occupational therapists can guide you on appropriate exercise and stretching techniques you can do at home. However, if therapy doesn’t help, we offer two procedures that can relieve your pain.

Newton-Wellesley Ambulatory Care Center - Newton
159 Wells Avenue
Newton, MA 02459
Phone: 617-243-6142

Procedures We Offer to Relieve Tendon Pain

The two procedures we use to ease patients’ tendon pain are percutaneous needle tenotomy and percutaneous ultrasonic tenotomy.

Percutaneous Needle Tenotomy

Percutaneous needle tenotomy is a minimally invasive procedure. During this treatment, your doctor will pass a standard needle through your irritated tendon multiple times. Researchers believe this process stimulates tendon healing and regrowth. The procedure increases the growth of new blood vessels to the treated area.

Percutaneous Ultrasonic Tenotomy

Percutaneous ultrasonic tenotomy is also a minimally invasive technique. During this procedure, your doctor will use ultrasonic energy that is emitted from the end of a needle device to remove damaged or abnormal tissue. Since this device and treatment received approval from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in 2012, doctors have completed more than 65,000 of these procedures.

We use percutaneous ultrasonic tenotomy to treat a variety of tendon conditions, including:

• Achilles (ankle) tendinopathy
• Golfer’s elbow
• Hip bursitis
• Hip tendinitis
• Jumper’s knee
• Plantar fasciitis
• Rotator cuff issues
• Tennis elbow

Is Tenotomy Right for Me?

Tenotomy may be a good option for you if you have tried the following treatment options but haven’t seen improvement in your symptoms:

• Activity modifications
• Bracing
• Over-the-counter oral and/or topical pain medications
• Physical or occupational therapy

We typically consider tenotomy for patients who have had tendon pain for at least three months.

What to Expect from Your Tenotomy

If you and your doctor decide tenotomy is right for you, you’ll meet with one of our sports medicine doctors [link to Our Team, page ID 7.29.6], who will use an ultrasound exam of the painful area to determine the extent of your injury. You should stop all anti-inflammatory medication for one week before your tenotomy. This includes medications such as ibuprofen and naproxen. Tell your doctor if you take any strong blood thinners.

Tenotomies are performed at the Newton-Wellesley Ambulatory Care Center - Newton. During the procedure, a small incision is made in your skin to place the needle at the correct location. There are no sutures required. Although we perform the procedure under local anesthetic only, you may need a driver to take you home afterward, depending on what area of your body is involved.

After the procedure, you will likely be sore at the procedure site, especially for the first three days afterward. You should continue to avoid taking any anti-inflammatory medications for two weeks after your tenotomy. You will have limited activity for the first two weeks afterward as you slowly regain your strength. You will start physical therapy and practicing resistance exercises as tolerated, and you can expect a full recovery after 12 weeks.

Let Us Help You with Tendon Pain

If you are experiencing chronic tendon pain, we are here to help. Schedule an appointment with us today by calling 617-243-6142