Tendinitis: Types, symptoms, causes, and treatment ...

Tendinitis is the inflammation of a tendon caused by repetitive overuse or injury. It can occur in an elbow, wrist, finger, thigh, or elsewhere. Learn more. MedicalNewsTodayHealthConditionsDiscoverToolsConnectSubscribeWhattoknowabouttendinitisMedicallyreviewedbyAngelaM.Bell,MD,FACP—WrittenbyYvetteBrazierandAaronKandola—UpdatedonDecember9,2021Whatistendinitis?Vs.tendinosisTypesSymptomsCausesandriskfactorsDiagnosisTreatmentPreventionSummaryTendinitis—alsoknownastendonitis—istheinflammationofatendon.Itusuallyhappenswhenapersonoverusesorinjuresatendonduringphysicalactivity.Tendonsarecable-liketissuesthatconnectmusclestobones.Althoughoneoftheirfunctionsistotakesomeofthestrainoffthemuscles,toomuchactivitycaninjurethem.Repetitive,overlystrenuousexercisecanmakeatendoninflamed.Alsocalledtendinitis,thisinflammationcanoccuranywhereinthebody,includingtheelbows,ankles,orknees.Theaffectedbodypartmaygivetheinjuryitsname,suchasAchillestendinitis.Peoplecanmanagemostcasesoftendinitiswithrest,ice,andover-the-counter(OTC)painrelievers.Readmoretolearnaboutthedifferenttypesoftendinitis,itscauses,treatmentoptions,andmore.Whatistendinitis?ShareonPinterestPORNCHAISODA/GettyImagesTendonsarebandsofcollagenfibersthatattachmusclestobones.Theyareflexibleyettoughsothattheycanstretchandwithstandtension.Bothtendonsandmusclesworktogethertomovejointsandlimbs.Normally,tendonsareresilientandcantakesomeofthestressoffofmuscles.However,ifputundertoomuchstrain,theycanbecomeinflamed.Thisiscalledtendinitis.Tendinitisvs.tendinosisSometimes,doctorsmisdiagnosetendinitisastendinosis,achronicconditionthatcausesthetendonstobreakdownovertime.Thedamagedordisorganizedcollagenfibersgethardenedanddevelopscartissue,whichcanreducemobility.Althoughithassimilarsymptomstotendinitis,tendinosisisconsideredamoreseriouscondition.Itcauseslong-termtendondamageandismoredifficulttotreat.TypesoftendinitisTendinitiscanaffectanytendoninthebody,butcertaintypesoftendinitisareparticularlycommon.AchillestendinitisTheAchillestendonisathickbandoftissueattachingtheheeltothecalfmuscle.Thistendon,whichhelpsapersonwalk,run,andjump,enduresagreatdealofstress.Becauseofthis,Achillestendinitisisacommonsportsinjury.Additionally,peoplewithrheumatoidarthritisareatahigherriskofAchillestendinitis.SupraspinatustendinitisInsupraspinatustendinitis,thetendonatthetopoftheshoulderjointbecomesinflamed.Thiscausespainwhenmovingthearm.Somepeoplemayfindituncomfortabletolieontheaffectedshoulderatnight.Ifothertendonsinthesameareaarealsoinjured,thepersonmayhaveaconditioncalledrotatorcuffsyndrome.Tennisorgolfer’selbowLateralepicondylitis,commonlycalledtenniselbow,causespainwhenapersonbendstheirwristoutwards.Thispainmayradiatedowntowardsthewrist.Medialepicondylitis,orgolfer’selbow,causespainwhenbendingthewristtowardstheinside.Thepainismoreacutewhentryingtoliftagainstaforce.deQuervain’sstenosingtenosynovitisThisformoftendinitishappenswhenthesheathsurroundingthetendonsbetweenthethumbandwristbecomesinflamed.Thetendonsheaththickensandswells,makingitpainfultomovethethumb.TriggerfingerorthumbTriggerfingerisacommonconditionthathappenswhenafingerclickswhenstraightened.Itbecomesfixedinabentpositionbecausethetendonsheathinthepalmisthickenedandinflamed.Thisrestrictsthetendon’smovement,soitcannotmovesmoothly.TendinitisofthewristWristtendinitiscanaffectanyonewhorepeatedlyperformsthesamemovementswiththeirwrists.Itiscommoninpeoplewhodoalotoftyping,writing,andsportsliketennis.SymptomsAlthoughtendinitissymptomscanvary,theyusuallyinclude:painintheaffectedtendontendernessandpainwhenmovingthejointacatchingorgratingfeelingswellingCausesandriskfactorsBothrepeatedminorinjuriesandsuddenacuteinjuriescancausetendinitis.CausesMostcasesoftendinitisaretheresultofrepeatedstressoroveruse,whichcouldinclude:makingrepetitivemotions,suchaschoppingortypingforlongperiodshavingpoorposturewearingunsupportiveshoesexcessiveexerciseRiskfactorsSomepeoplearemorelikelytogettendinitisthanothers.Riskfactorsfortendinitisinclude:Age:Tendonsbecomestifferwithage,makingapersonmoresusceptibletoinjury.Profession:Ifaperson’sjobinvolvesrepetitivemovements,theyareatahigherriskofoveruseinjuries.Sports:Sportslikerunning,tennis,andgolfinvolverepetitivemotions,whichcanleadtotendinitis.Somehealthconditions:Peoplewithgout,kidneydiseases,andrheumatoidarthritisaremorelikelytodeveloptendinitis.Ifthepainsuddenlygetsworse,orifitsuddenlybecomesimpossibletomoveajoint,apersonshouldseekmedicalattention.DiagnosisAhealthcareprofessionalwillaskaboutsymptomsandcarryoutaphysicalexamination.Theymaygentlymovetheaffectedtendon.Thiscanidentifytendernessanacreakingsound,whichhappenswhenthetendonsheathbecomesthickandinflamed.Formostcasesoftendinitis,adoctorwillrecommendrest,ice,andOTCpainrelievers.Rarely,ifsymptomsdonotimprove,adoctormayrecommendadditionaltests.AnX-raycanshowcalciumdepositsaroundthetendon,whichmayconfirmadiagnosis.OtherimagingtestssuchasultrasoundorMRIscansmayrevealswellingofthetendonsheath.TreatmentTreatmentfortendinitisaimstorelievepainandreduceinflammation.Rest,heatandice,andOTCpainmedicationarecommonhometreatmentoptions.Ifthesedonotimproveaperson’ssymptoms,adoctormayrecommendfurtherinterventions.RestTendinitisisanoveruseinjury.Restingtheaffectedtendonallowstheinflammationtoreduce.Ifasportorspecificrepetitivemotioncausedthetendinitis,thepersonshouldavoidthisactivity.Abandage,splint,orbracemayhelpreducemovement.HotandcoldtherapyAnicepackcandecreaseswellingintheaffectedarea.Applyingicefor10–15minutesonceortwiceperdaycanreduceinflammationandpain.Apersonshouldalwayswrapiceinatoweltoavoiddirectcontactwiththeskin.Somepeoplealsofinditusefultoalternateheatandice.Theycanusehottowelsorwarmcompresses,ortakeawarmbath.Iceisnormallybestforinjuriesthatoccurredwithinthelast48hours.Afterthis,heatmaybeabetteroption.PainrelieversThereareseveralmedicationsthatcanreducepain,including:OTCmedications:Ibuprofenandothernonsteroidalanti-inflammatorydrugscanreduceinflammationandtendonpain.Corticosteroidinjections:Doctorsmayrecommendtheseinjectionsaroundthetendonifinflammationandpainaresevere.Physicaltherapy:Manipulatingandmassagingtheaffectedareamayproviderelief,acceleratingthehealingprocess.Stretchingandexercise:Aphysicaltherapistmayrecommendspecificexercisestostretchandstrengthentheaffectedtendonandmuscle.ShockwavetherapyorsurgeryIftendinitispersistsandtherearecalciumdepositsaroundthetendon,adoctormaysuggestextracorporealshockwavetherapy.Thisinvolvespassingashockwavethroughtheskinandbreakingupthecalciumdeposits.Thiscantreattendinitisandimprovesymptoms.PreventionTendinitisisacommonconditionthatcanbedifficulttoprevent.Whiletryingtoavoidoverusecanreduceaperson’schanceofgettingtendinitis,thiscanbechallengingiftheyhaveanoccupationthatrequiresrepetitivemovement.However,peoplecanlowertheirchancesofgettingtendinitisby:warmingupbeforeexercisingbuildingupanactivity’sintensitygraduallyengaginginsportsregularly,ratherthanonlyonweekendsusingproperformwhenexercisingensuringshoesandgearfitappropriatelystoppingifamovementcausespainstrengtheningthesurroundingmuscles,whichcanreducethestrainontendonsavoidingrepetitiveactivitieswherepossibletakingfrequentbreaksfromrepetitiveactivitiesSummaryTendinitisisacommonoveruseinjurythatcausesinflammationofatendon.Peoplewhohavejobsorplaysportsthatinvolverepetitivemotionshaveanincreasedriskoftheseinjuries.Mostpeoplecantreattheconditionwithrest,ice,andOTCpainkillers.Insomecases,adoctormayneedtoprescribeadditionaltreatmentsandtherapiestosupportthehealingprocess.LastmedicallyreviewedonDecember5,2021Bones/OrthopedicsPain/AnestheticsSportsMedicine/Fitness9sourcescollapsedMedicalNewsTodayhasstrictsourcingguidelinesanddrawsonlyfrompeer-reviewedstudies,academicresearchinstitutions,andmedicaljournalsandassociations.Weavoidusingtertiaryreferences.Welinkprimarysources—includingstudies,scientificreferences,andstatistics—withineacharticleandalsolistthemintheresourcessectionatthebottomofourarticles.Youcanlearnmoreabouthowweensureourcontentisaccurateandcurrentbyreadingoureditorialpolicy.Achillestendinitis.(n.d.).https://www.pennmedicine.org/for-patients-and-visitors/patient-information/conditions-treated-a-to-z/achilles-tendonitisDedes,V.,etal.(2018).Effectivenessandsafetyofshockwavetherapyintendinopathies.https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6029898/DeQuervain'stenosynovitis.(2017).https://www.assh.org/handcare/condition/dequervains-tenosynovitisTapscott,D.C.,etal.(2021).Supraspinatustendonitis.https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK551702/Tendinitis.(2017).https://www.niams.nih.gov/health-topics/tendinitis#tab-symptomsTendinitis(bursitis).(2019).https://www.rheumatology.org/I-Am-A/Patient-Caregiver/Diseases-Conditions/Tendinitis-BursitisTendinitis.(n.d.).http://www.arthritis.org/about-arthritis/types/tendinitis/Tendonitis.(n.d.).https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/health/conditions-and-diseases/tendonitisVaracallo,M.,etal.(2021).Rotatorcuffsyndrome.https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK531506/FEEDBACK:MedicallyreviewedbyAngelaM.Bell,MD,FACP—WrittenbyYvetteBrazierandAaronKandola—UpdatedonDecember9,2021LatestnewsLowsaltdietandheartfailure:Surprisingfindingsonlifequality,hospitalizationCaffeinecouldhelptreatattentionandmemorysymptomsinADHDCOVID-19andtheheart:CanSARS-CoV-2causearrhythmia?2servingsofavocadoperweekmaycutheartdiseaseriskby16%LongCOVID:Primatestudyrevealsformsof‘braininjury’RelatedCoverageWhattoknowaboutbiceptendonitisMedicallyreviewedbyGregoryMinnis,DPTBiceptendonitisoccurswhenatendoninthebicepsmuscleswellsandbecomesinflamed.Readontolearnabouttypesofbiceptendonitis,causes,and…READMOREWhatcanIdoaboutAchillestendinitis?MedicallyreviewedbyWilliamMorrison,M.D.TheAchillestendonrunsdownthebackofthelowerlegandjoinsthecalfmusclestotheheelbone.Itisthelargesttendoninthebodyandisvery…READMOREPatellartendonitistreatment,exercises,symptoms,andallelseyouneedtoknowMedicallyreviewedbyAmyElizabethWolkin,PT,DPT,MBAPatellartendonitisinvolvessmalltearsinthetendonthatconnectsthekneecaptotheshin.Learnmoreaboutthisinjurycommoninathleteswhojump.READMOREWhatistendinosis?MedicallyreviewedbyWilliamMorrison,M.D.Inthisarticle,learnaboutthesymptoms,causes,andtreatmentsfortendinosis,aswellaswhatmakesitdifferentfromtendinitis.READMOREWhatarethesymptomsofrotatorcufftendinitis?MedicallyreviewedbyWilliamMorrison,M.D.Therotatorcuffisagroupofmusclesandtendonsintheshoulder.Injuriesandoverusecanharmit,leadingtoinflammationoftheconnective…READMORE