- 1). Stop all physical exercise that involves the use of your affected tendon and joint. Wear a brace around your joint to limit movement until the initial inflammation and swelling have subsided.
- 2). Take two ibuprofen or naproxen tablets every four to six hours. Repeat every day until your inflamed tendon has healed.
- 3). Put ice in an ice pack or inside a hand towel. Strap or tie the ice pack or hand towel (use larger towel for tying) around your joint so that the ice is directly compressed against your source of pain. Leave the ice in place for 15 to 20 minutes. Repeat this procedure every three to four hours until the initial inflammation and swelling are under control.
- 4). Use a heating pad for 15 to 20 minutes several times per day once the initial swelling has subsided. Repeat this procedure every day until your inflamed tendon has healed.
- 5). Perform exercises specifically designed for the tendon and joint in which you have bursitis. If your joint bends in two directions (i.e. knee), stretch it slowly in one direction and hold that position for 15 to 30 seconds. Next, stretch your tendon in the opposite direction and hold that position for 15 to 30 seconds. Repeat 10 times and do each exercise up to three times.
If your bursitis is in a joint that moves in more than two directions (i.e. wrist), also stretch your tendon to each side, holding both movements for 15 to 30 seconds. Again, do three sets of 10 repetitions in each direction.
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