Ligament and Tendon Injuries – Symptoms, Causes and Treatment
Ligament and tendon injuries include sprains, partial and complete tears, and tendon irritation from overload. With suitable rehabilitation many of them recover well, but healing takes time and gradual loading.
What ligament and tendon injuries are
Ligaments connect bones to each other and stabilise joints, while tendons attach muscles to bones. A sudden twist, fall or blow can overstretch or tear them. With long-term overload, tendons can become irritated and painful, a condition known as tendinopathy.
These tissues heal relatively slowly because they have a weaker blood supply than muscles. Pain may therefore settle before the tissue is ready for full load, and returning to activity too soon raises the risk of re-injury.
In most people partial injuries and tendinopathies improve with conservative treatment, while complete tears sometimes need a surgical opinion. That decision is made by a doctor after an examination and imaging.
Common causes
- a sudden twist or fall
- a blow or abrupt stop during movement
- repeated overload in sport or work
- inadequate preparation before loading
- muscle imbalance and poor stability
- a previous injury that has not fully recovered
How they show up
- pain around the joint or along the tendon
- swelling and bruising
- tenderness on pressure and with movement
- a feeling of instability or the joint “giving way”
- stiffness, especially in the morning or after rest
- weakness when loading the affected limb
How we can help
We start with a thorough assessment to find which structure is affected and how the overload came about. We combine manual therapy, therapeutic massage, therapeutic exercise with gradual loading, kinesiology taping and methods such as laser, magnet, ultrasound, shockwave and TECAR. If the assessment shows signs of a complete tear or another serious injury, we will refer you to a specialist.
When to see a doctor
See a doctor for a sudden “snap” followed by severe pain, a visible deformity or loss of movement, being unable to put load on the limb, rapidly increasing swelling or numbness. These signs may point to a complete tear or a fracture and need an examination and imaging. Also seek advice if the pain does not settle after a few weeks.
This page is for information only and does not replace an assessment by a specialist.