Tendinitis: Causes, Diagnosis, and Prevention - Healthline

Tendons are thick cords that join your muscles to your bones. When tendons become irritated or inflamed, the condition is called tendinitis. HealthlineHealthConditionsDiscoverPlanConnectShopSubscribeWhatIsTendinitis?MedicallyreviewedbyAngelaM.Bell,MD,FACP—WrittenbyAnnPietrangelo—UpdatedonSeptember29,2021CausesSymptomsDiagnosisTreatmentPreventionTendonsarethickcordsthatjoinyourmusclestoyourbones.Whentendonsbecomeirritatedorinflamed,theconditioniscalledtendinitis.Itcausesacutepainandtenderness,makingitdifficulttomovetheaffectedjoint.Anytendoncandeveloptendinitis,butyou’remorelikelytodevelopitinyourshoulder,knee,elbow,heel,orwrist.Tendinitismayalsobecalledbyoneofthefollowingnames:swimmer’sshoulderjumper’skneepitcher’sshouldergolfer’selbowtenniselbowWhatcausestendinitis?Themostcommoncauseoftendinitisisrepetitiveaction.Tendonshelpyoumakeacertainmovementoverandover.Youmaydeveloptendinitisifyoufrequentlymakethesamemotionwhileplayingsportsorworking.Theriskincreasesifyouperformthemotionincorrectly.Tendinitiscanalsoresultfrom:injuryagingcertaindiseases,suchasdiabetesorrheumatoidarthritiscertainantibiotics(quinolonessuchasLevaquin)Athleteswhoparticipateincertainsports,suchastennis,golf,bowling,orbasketball,areatahigherriskoftendinitis.Youmayalsobeatahigherriskifyourjobrequiresphysicalexertion,overheadlifting,orrepetitivemotionsortasks.ShareonPinterestSymptomsoftendinitisThepainfromtendinitisistypicallyadullacheconcentratedaroundtheaffectedareaorjoint.Itincreaseswhenyoumovetheinjuredarea.Theareawillbetender,andyou’llfeelincreasedpainifsomeonetouchesit.Youmayexperienceatightnessthatmakesitdifficulttomovethearea.Youmayalsohavesomeswelling.Ifyoudevelopsymptomsoftendinitis,beginbyrestingtheareaandapplyingice.Ifyourconditiondoesn’timproveafterafewdaysofrest,seeadoctor.YoucanbookanappointmentwithaprimarycaredoctorinyourareausingourHealthlineFindCaretool.Howistendinitisdiagnosed?Atyourappointment,adoctorwillaskaboutyourmedicalhistoryandperformaphysicalexamoftheaffectedarea.They’llalsoexamineyourtendernessandrangeofmotion.Bepreparedtotellyourdoctoraboutthefollowing:recentorpastinjuriespastandpresentsportsandphysicalactivitiespreviouslydiagnosedmedicalconditionsanyprescriptiondrugs,over-the-countermedications,andherbalsupplementsyoutakeIfyourdoctorcan’tmakeadiagnosiswithaphysicalexam,theymayorderadditionaltests.Thesecouldinclude:X-raysMRIscansultrasoundsWhatarethetreatmentoptions?Treatmentoptionsfortendinitishelpreducepainandinflammationinthetendon.Basichomeremediesinclude:restingorelevatingthetendonasadvisedbyyourdoctorapplyingheatoricetakingmedications,suchasacetaminophen(Tylenol),aspirin(Bayer),ibuprofen(Advil,Motrin),ornaproxen(Aleve,Naprosyn)wrappingtheareainacompressionbandageuntilswellinggoesawaydoingstretchesandexercisestobuildstrengthandimprovemobilityintheareaIfyourconditionissevere,yourdoctormayalsorecommend:supportssuchassplints,braces,oracanesurgerytoremoveinflammatorytissuephysicaltherapycorticosteroidinjectionsAsinglecorticosteroidinjectioncanreducepainandinflammation,butrepeatedinjectionscancausethetendontoweakenandincreaseyourchancesofinjury.Whentreatedearly,tendinitisusuallyresolvesquickly.Forsomepeople,itcanrecurandbecomeachronicorlong-termproblem.Ifrepetitivemovementsoroveruseledtoyourtendinitis,changingthosebehaviorscanreduceyourriskofdevelopingitagain.Youcancauseadditionalinjury,suchasatendonrupture,iftheinflammationcontinueswithouttreatment.Surgeryisoftennecessaryforatendonruptureandforcasesthatdon’trespondwelltoothertreatments.KeeptendoninflammationatbayTakethesesimplestepstoloweryourchancesofdevelopingtendinitis:Keepphysicallyfitandbuildyourmuscletone.Warmupbeforeexercising.Avoidoveruseandrepetitivemotions.Cross-trainifyou’reanathlete.Useproperposturewhenworkingatadeskordoingothertasks.Don’tremaininthesamepositionfortoolong.Movearoundperiodically.Useproperequipmentatworkandduringathleticactivities.Ifyoubegintofeelthepainoftendinitis,stopyouractivity.Takea20-minutebreaktoapplyiceandrest.LastmedicallyreviewedonSeptember20,20213sourcescollapsedHealthlinehasstrictsourcingguidelinesandreliesonpeer-reviewedstudies,academicresearchinstitutions,andmedicalassociations.Weavoidusingtertiaryreferences.Youcanlearnmoreabouthowweensureourcontentisaccurateandcurrentbyreadingoureditorialpolicy.Levaquin:Highlightsofprescribinginformation.(2016). fda.gov/media/75773/downloadSheonRP.Tendinitis(bursitis).(2015). rheumatology.org/I-Am-A/Patient-Caregiver/Diseases-Conditions/Tendinitis-BursitisTendinitis.(n.d.).https://www.arthritis.org/diseases/tendinitisFEEDBACK:MedicallyreviewedbyAngelaM.Bell,MD,FACP—WrittenbyAnnPietrangelo—UpdatedonSeptember29,2021ReadthisnextWhatIsForearmTendonitis,andHow’sItTreated?MedicallyreviewedbyWilliamMorrison,M.D.Forearmtendonitisisinflammationofthetendonsoftheforearm.Theforearmisthepartofyourarmbetweenthewristandtheelbow.Youmaybeable…READMOREEverythingYouNeedtoKnowAboutSportsInjuriesandRehabMedicallyreviewedbyWilliamMorrison,M.D.Sportsinjuriescanhappenduringregularexerciseorwhileplayingasport.They’reespeciallycommoninchildrenandyoungeradults.Findoutall…READMOREEverythingYouShouldKnowAboutExtensorTendonitisMedicallyreviewedbyWilliamMo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