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. Anti-inflammatory medications such as ibuprofen or sodium naproxyn 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.