Rest

• Perhaps the most important part of rehabilitating a repetitive use injury is rest. Since overuse causes the problem, stopping the offending activity will prevent further damage from being done to the injured joints, muscles and tendons. This will allow irritation to dissipate, and any swelling or pain to disappear. The problem with resting an injury for many people is that their sport or job requires them to use the body in the way that caused the injury. It is imperative not to return to the activity too soon after a repetitive use injury, or it can undo any healing that has taken place and worsen the problem. For athletes, cross training can help maintain physical fitness without exacerbating injuries. For instance, a runner with an injured foot can ride bike or swim to limit the impact on the joint.
  As you start to resume activity after an injury, do not jump right back into your peak level of activity. Build up slowly to make sure that you don't make the injury return.
  
  

Inflammation

• Inflammation is common with repetitive stress injuries---tendonitis, a common tendon ailment, is caused by inflammation of the muscles and tendons. Limiting inflammation after a stress injury is essential to promote healing. Whenever a joint, muscle or tendon feels sore or painful from repetitive use, it is a good idea to ice the painful area once every couple of hours for 15 minutes at a time. Make sure to use a piece of cloth or some other covering between the ice packs and the skin to prevent cold burns. It can also be helpful to take anti-inflammatory medication such as ibuprofen to decrease pain. If you plan to partake in an activity that might irritate the injury, take an anti-inflammatory ahead of time as a precaution.
  
  

Physical Therapy

• Physical therapy is an essential part of recovering from a repetitive use injury. Repetitive use injuries usually occur when you do an activity with improper form or with muscles, joints and tendons that are not strong enough to handle the activity level you are subjecting them to. Increasing your flexibility with stretching exercises will reduce the chance of hyper-extending joints, which can reduce the chance of injury. Doing exercises to strengthen muscles will help solidify joints and tendons, increasing their ability to handle work without getting injured. The specific exercises to use will vary depending on your injury; a doctor or physical therapist will be able to make recommendations. Resistance bands can be useful for performing physical therapy exercise, since they are very portable and the resistance they provide can come from any angle.