For some people, resting the affected tendon may be all they need to ease the pain, but others with chronic pain struggle to find relief. The good news is physicians now have a large array of techniques from new approaches to physical therapy and rehabilitation to new, less-invasive treatments that stimulate your body to heal the problematic tendon that can help you keep swinging your racquet or clubs without pain.

"We're altering the landscape in dealing with a lot of these tendon issues," said Robert Dimeff, M.D., medical director of Cleveland Clinic Sports Health. "These are still difficult problems to deal with, but the options are so much better now than they were 10 years ago."
First treatment approaches

If your tendon pain lasts more than a few weeks, see a doctor to rule out another, potentially more serious cause of the pain, such as a stress fracture. If your pain is sports-related, the doctor may have you check the size and weight of your racquet, golf clubs or other equipment and work with a pro on the mechanics of your swing.

The initial treatment for a tendinopathy usually entails warming up the muscle/tendon before exercise, resting it, applying ice and wrapping it shortly afterward, and taking pain relievers. You also may do gentle stretching exercises to prevent stiffness.

Dr. Dimeff also recommends physical therapy and rehabilitation to stretch and strengthen tendons and muscles. The therapy includes eccentric (pronounced "ee-sentric") exercises that elongate the muscle and tendon while strengthening them. The exercises require the guidance of a physical therapist.