Ligaments and tendons are essential for movement

And while they each serve a different role, they are made of the same material (dense layers of connective tissue), and they combine to help you perform all essential movements. Here’s how:

• Ligaments attach bone to bone 
• Tendons attach muscle to bone 

Ligaments allow for the proper articulation of joints, simultaneously stabilizing the joints to prevent excessive movement from causing damage. Tendons provide further stability because they resist high tensile forces, while also allowing for the healthy conduction of forces across the body. The health of both ligaments and tendons is an essential focus at your Bay Area Spine Care Office.

 

Ligaments and tendons suffer injury when they sustain excessive force

While both have an incredibly high tensile resistance, extreme movements can still cause damage, especially when the strength of a ligament or tendon is already weakened due to lack of conditioning. 

• Injury to a ligament is called a sprain
• Injury to a tendon is called a strain

With all but the most serious of sprains and strains, the body will heal itself if given enough time and attention to rehabilitation. The general course for healing is thus:

• Initial injury
• Inflammation
• Cell regrowth
• Restructuring of cells as they regrow leads to the formation of scar tissue.

And while your body is an amazingly adept healer, it can always use a helping hand- this is where we step in with chiropractic modalities that naturally augment the body’s healing response. Furthermore, your ligaments and tendons provide for healthy movement and stability of your spine, meaning that their health is essential for spinal longevity. 

Healing ligament and tendon injuries with the help of chiropractic

At our office in Alameda, we focus on mitigating the pain associated with your injury and maintaining range of motion. Keeping a regular schedule of movement ensures that your blood is circulating properly to the injurious region which needs all the oxygen and nutrients that your blood contains in order to heal. Our techniques promote the body’s natural healing response and prevent painful side-effects such as the adhesion of scar tissue which can trap joints and further reduce mobility. If you are interested in healing your ligament or tendon injury in a natural, effective manner, give our office in Alameda a call to schedule an appointment today.