<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR><font face="Verdana, Arial" size="2">Originally posted by fol:
<B>
Hello, mlot! I'm not your doctor--and not a health practitioner at all--so I can't really answer your questions about you. I can report my personal experience, however, if it helps:
In my first year of practicing, I ended up with patellar tendinitis, especially in my right knee. Although I was (and still am) undoubtedly doing the forms wrong in all sorts of ways, the basic cause was overuse of muscles & joints I hadn't been using this way before. In other words, I was practicing too much!

I found lots of good web sources on tendinitis, plus my physical therapist helped a lot. Getting rid of the pain involved cutting back until the inflamation went away (e.g., very high stances), anti-inflammatories, lots of ice, ultrasound treatments, massage & strengthening exercises. Good luck!
[This message has been edited by fol (edited 07-10-2008).]</B></font><HR></BLOCKQUOTE>
Your personal account was reassuring. Thank you very much.
I am practicing twice a day (once morning and once evening), so I skipped one day (even though I hated missing a day) and then cut back to once a day for a the week, iced the tendon after each practice, took some anti-inflammatory medication, and it seems to be much better now. Guess I was having the same issue you had of just "overuse of muscles & joints I hadn't been using this way before". At least now I am more aware of what to do if it happens in the future.
Again, thanks for your information and personal account!