Pes Anserine Bursitis or Tendonitis (PATB)

What You Need To Treat Pes Anserine Bursitis or Tendonitis

• Freezie Wrap^® Cold Compression Therapy
• Inferno Wrap^® Blood Flow Stimulation Therapy^™
• Therapeutic Ultrasound

What is it?

Pes anserine bursitis/tendonitis is a painful, inflammatory condition affecting the tendons and/or lubricating sac (bursae) between your shinbone and the hamstring tendons at the inside of your knee; typically caused by stress to the area. Specifically, the pes anserinus is the area where the tendons of 3 muscles (sartorius, gracilis, and semitendinosus) come together. The three tendons merge together in the skin of the bone on the inside surface of the shinbone. The term, pes anserinus means "goose´s foot" in Latin - owing to the webbed-foot pattern the three tendons make when they meet.

About the Pes Anserine

These three muscles are the dominant knee flexors; they influence the rotation of the tibia and protect the knee against rotary stress. Inflammation of the bursae or tendons serving these muscles usually develops due to overuse, trauma, or degradation typically from:

• Tight hamstrings
• Obesity
• Poor sport technique, including improper warm-up, excessive hill work, increased mileage
• Biomechanical issues, such as foot rolling, out-turned knees
• Osteoarthritis
• A medial meniscus tear

Causes

Pes anserine bursitis and tendonitis is common in athletes (particularly runners), overweight individuals, and often, people with osteoarthritis of the knee. The symptoms of pes anserine bursitis include:

• pain located 2 to 3 inches below the kneecap
• swelling in front of the kneecap (prepatellar) or underneath the kneecap (infrapatellar)
• Pain increasing with exercise or climbing stairs
• Pain and often warmth and tenderness when touched
• Pain when bending or straightening the knee.
• Pain that radiates to the back and inside of the thigh
• Visible swelling and/or redness of the tendon sheaths (tendonitis)

It is generally agreed that hamstring tightness is the most common cause of pes anserine bursitis/tendonitis. Athletes and non-athletes alike need to ensure their hamstrings are properly warmed-up and stretched before they place any stress on their knee; from extensive hill running to simply climbing stairs. If you are susceptible to PATB or are suffering from it now, you need to take steps to prevent re-injury or ensure recovery.

Prevention

To prevent pes anserine bursitis/tendonitis, it is important to first eliminate any of the underlying factors contributing to the condition. Ask your doctor or physical therapist to take a look at your gait and your posture to see if there any biomechanical issues that need to be addressed. Secondly, get advice from your physical therapist or trainer on setting a training schedule that fits your ability. Thirdly, but most importantly ­ Stretch and warm up your hamstrings! The easiest and gentlest way to warm-up this area is by using a Knee Inferno Wrap^®.

To treat inflamed pes anserine tendons or bursa, you should discontinue the activity impacting the knee immediately and take steps to reduce the inflammation through a RCCE treatment protocol; that is Rest, Cold, Compression, and Elevation. As the inflammation subsides ­ introduce stretching and strengthening exercises aimed at reducing the hamstring tightness and building up the quadriceps in order to better support your knee.

Therapeutic Products

Blood Flow Stimulation Therapy^™

You can help your body repair itself by speeding its natural healing process with Blood Flow Stimulation Therapy^™. During normal activities, the movement promotes blood flow through our body. Our body responds to the movement by sending oxygen and nutrient-rich blood to the muscles, joints, tendons and other soft tissue in the body. When at rest, the blood flow to your tendons is greatly reduced. Unfortunately, when your tendon is injured it requires rest but it also needs the blood flow to promote the healing process. Since you can't work your tendon without danger of further injury, you need to stimulate the blood flow another way. Our innovative Inferno Wrap^® gives you the best Blood Flow Stimulation Therapy^™ available. The Inferno Wrap^® creates energy waves that stimulate blood flow by penetrating through the outer layers of your body. The energy waves reach deep into your muscles, tendons and cartilage, reducing your pain as they heal the inner tissue.

An Inferno Wrap^® gives you unparalleled blood flow stimulation to your injured tendon. You simply won't find a comparable product on the market. Other therapy products can not come close to offering the comfortable, contoured fit and targeted energy treatment an Inferno Wrap^® provides. You will experience a soothing, penetrating warmth deep in the tissue as it works to stimulate your blood flow, we guarantee it. Now you can reduce your pain and heal yourself with the comfortable, light weight Inferno Wrap^®.

The Inferno Wrap^® provides effective, non-invasive, non-addictive pain relief with no side effects.

When your tendon has healed somewhat and it comes time for more aggressive rehabilitation, stretching and activity, Blood Flow Stimulation Therapy^™ warms the muscles in the injured area which increases range of motion and allows for a safer more thorough stretch.

Therapeutic Ultrasound

Ultrasound Therapy is also a great tool for pain prevention of tendonitis or healing a tendon tear, and having a portable ultrasound device at home can be a powerful and convenient treatment tool. If you have symptoms of tendonitis or are recovering from a tendon injury, using ultrasound on a regular basis before your activity or throughout the day will help relax your tendons and muscles, diminish pain and inflammation, soften scar tissue and contribute greatly to the healing of your injury.

Therapeutic Ultrasound massages your soft tissue giving you three primary benefits. First, it increases blood flow in the treated area which speeds your body's natural healing process. Second, it reduces swelling and edema which are the main sources of pain. Third, ultrasound softens existing scar tissue and minimizes the build up of new scar tissue resulting in reduced pain while healing and greater flexibility once healing is complete.

Ultrasound can also be used to administer therapeutic medicines into the body. This is a process known as phonophoresis. Ultrasound with Phonophoresis is rapidly becoming more popular than Ultrasound Therapy alone.

Our MendMeShop^® Lavender Infusion Gel is the only topical therapeutic gel that is also a Phonophoretic Ultrasound Gel. It is made with natural medical ingredients including eucalyptus, peppermint, Bulgarian lavender and menthol. These effective ingredients have anesthetic, anti-inflammatory, analgesic, decongestant, and circulatory stimulant properties. When applied topically and massaged into the skin, MendMeShop^® Lavender Infusion Gel relieves pain and speeds healing without any side-effects.

Cold Compression Therapy

Our cold compression wraps work by interrupting and slowing nerve and cell function in the area of your injured tendon. Once blood vessels are damaged they can no longer carry oxygenated blood to the damaged tissue and therefore cells begin to break-down. The deep cold provided by our cold compression wraps slows cell function thereby reducing cellular break-down. Less damage means less healing is necessary and a shorter recovery time

Aside from preventing tissue damage, cold compression therapy reduces pain by gently numbing nerves in the injured area and providing comforting support to your tendons. Initially, you may use pain killers or anti-inflammatory medications but these can affect your organs and should never be used for a long period of time. Cold compression therapy is the natural way to reduce pain quickly.

Freezie Wrap^® cold compression therapy is an effective and innovative way to treat your painful tendon. The therapy behind the Freezie Wrap^® has been doctor recommended for centuries but the Freezie Wrap^® itself is a new, safer way to get it!