Tendons are cords of tough, fibrous connective tissue that attach muscles to bones. Tendons are found throughout the entire human body.
What is tendonitis?
Tendinitis is an inflammation and irritation of the tendon and is a type of tendinopathy.
Tendinitis is a common aliment that affects many of us. Generally tendinitis is referred to by the body part involved, such as Achilles tendinitis or patellar tendinitis (jumper’s knee). Tendinitis injuries are common in the upper and lower limbs (including the supporting tendons of the rotator cuff).
Inflammation of tendons in the hip and upper torso is very uncommon.
Who develops tendonitis?
Swimmers in their shoulders, and rock climbers tend to develop tendinitis in their fingers or elbows.
Achilles tendinitis is a common injury, particularly in sports that involve lunging and jumping while Patellar tendinitis is a common among basketball and volleyball players due to the amount of jumping and landing they do on their feet.
Tendonitis of the wrist and elbow is very common and is seen in athletes and trade workers that use their wrist and elbows excessively.
Repetitive motion is a leading cause of tendonitis.
What are the symptoms of tendonitis?
Symptoms can vary from aches or pains and stiffness, to a burning sensation that surrounds the whole joint all around the inflamed tendon.
Swelling is generally evident in addition to heat and redness.
In some instances there may be visible knots surrounding joint. With this condition, the pain is usually worse during and after activity, and the tendon and joint area can become stiffer the next day as muscles tighten from the movement of the tendon.
Many patients report stressful situations in their life in correlation with the beginnings of pain which may contribute to the symptoms. If the symptoms of tendinitis last for several months or longer it is probably tendinosis.
Tendinosis is chronic tendinitis resulting from microtears in the tendon. Chronic tendinitis may lead to reduced tendon strength and increase the chance of a tendon rupture.
How is tendonitis treated?
Treatment of tendon injuries is largely conservative. Use of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, rest, and gradual return to exercise is the most common therapy. Symptoms improve with treatment and rest. Resting the affected tendon assists in the prevention of further damage to the tendon. Cold compression therapy with an Arctic Ease Cryotherapy Wraps® and elevation are also frequently recommended.
Initial recovery is typically within 2 to 3 days and full recovery is within 4 to 6 weeks.
As tendinosis is more common than tendinitis, and has similar symptoms, tendinitis is often initially treated the same as tendinosis. This helps reduce some of the chronic long-term risks of tendinosis, which takes longer to heal.
Physical therapy, orthotics or braces may also be useful.
Steroid injections have not been shown to have long term benefit they are equivalent to NSAIDs in the short term treatment of tendonitis.
If the injury is caused by overuse, a change in work habits may be indicated to prevent recurrence of tendonitis.
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