Overview
Tendinitis is new or sudden swelling and irritation, called inflammation, of a tendon. Tendons are thick fibrous cords that attach muscle to bone. Tendinitis causes pain and tenderness just outside a joint.
Tendinitis can happen in any tendon. It's common around shoulders, elbows, wrists, hips, knees and heels. Tendinitis is sometimes called tendinopathy. Tendinopathy is an umbrella term for conditions affecting the tendon.
Most tendinitis can be treated with rest, physical therapy and medicine to reduce pain. Long-lasting tendon inflammation can cause a tendon to tear. A torn tendon might need surgery.
Types
Shoulder joint
Shoulder joint
Tendons are thick fibrous cords that attach muscle to bone. Overuse or strain on a joint can inflame tendons and result in tendinitis.
There are many types of tendinitis. Common types include:
- Achilles tendinitis. The Achilles tendon is the band of tissue that connects calf muscles at the back of the lower leg to your heel bone. Achilles tendinitis is caused by overuse or strain on the Achilles tendon, such as when a runner increases the intensity of a running program.
- Golfer's elbow. This condition, also known as medial epicondylitis, causes pain where the tendons of the forearm muscles attach to the bony bump on the inside of the elbow. The pain might spread into the forearm and wrist. It's not limited to golfers, but it is often caused by repeated rotation of the forearm and wrist.
- Patellar tendinitis. This condition is an injury to the tendon connecting the kneecap, also called the patella, to the shinbone. Patellar tendinitis also is referred to as jumper's knee. The condition is most common in athletes whose sports involve frequent jumping, such as basketball and volleyball. But even people who don't take part in jumping sports can get patellar tendinitis.
- Rotator cuff injury. The rotator cuff is a group of muscles and tendons that surround the shoulder joint. Rotator cuff injuries are most often caused by wear and tear of the tendon tissue over time due to repeated overhead motions or heavy lifting. These injuries are common in people with jobs such as carpentry or in people who play sports such as baseball or tennis. A rotator cuff injury can cause a dull ache in the shoulder that worsens at night or with reaching.
- Tennis elbow. Pain from tennis elbow, also known as lateral epicondylitis, can be caused by overuse of the muscles and tendons in the elbow. It's often linked to repeated motions of the wrist and arm, for example, the motions used in tennis and other similar sports.
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Symptoms
Symptoms of tendinitis tend to occur where a tendon attaches to a bone. Symptoms often include:
- Pain, often described as a dull ache, especially when moving the hurt limb or joint.
- Stiffness or weakness in the affected area.
- Tenderness.
- Mild swelling.
When to see a doctor
Most cases of tendinitis respond with self-care measures, such as rest, ice and pain relievers. See your healthcare professional if your symptoms don't lessen after a few days and if they get in the way of daily activities.
Causes
Tendinitis can be caused by a single overuse activity. But repeating the same movement over time is a more likely cause. Some people develop tendinitis because their jobs or hobbies involve motions that they repeat, over and over. Jobs such as carpentry or house painting or sports such as baseball, tennis and golf require the same motions to be repeated. Over time, this puts stress on the tendons. In many cases tendinitis develops without a clear cause.
How you move when doing your sport or activity can affect your risk of developing tendinitis. Moving incorrectly can overload the tendon. Having proper form and technique is especially important when sports or a job requires repeated movements.
Risk factors
Risk factors for developing tendinitis include older age and having jobs that involve doing the same motion over and over. Some medical conditions and certain medicines also may increase the risk.
Age
As people get older, their tendons become less flexible, making the tendons easier to injure. Tendons also are often slower to heal and recover from activity as people age.
Work
Tendinitis is more common in people, such as gardeners and manual laborers, whose jobs involve:
- Repeated motions.
- Awkward positions.
- A lot of overhead reaching.
- Vibration.
- Forced movements.
Activities
When doing physical activities, the following can increase the risk of tendinitis:
- Sudden increase in amount or difficulty of training.
- Too little recovery time after an injury or too little time to get used to the activity again after time off.
- Hard surfaces, such as concrete or gym floors.
- Poor equipment, such as old shoes or ones without support.
- Poor posture or poor technique, such as incorrect form when playing tennis or throwing a ball.
Medical conditions and medicines
If you have certain medical conditions, such as diabetes, or take certain medicines, you can have an increased risk of tendinitis. Medicines that may increase risk include:
- Antibiotics known as fluoroquinolones.
- Corticosteroids such as cortisone.
- Statins, used to lower cholesterol levels.
- Aromatase inhibitors, used to lower breast cancer risk.
- Testosterone taken at too high a dose or other anabolic steroids.
Complications
Without treatment, tendinitis can increase the risk of a tendon breaking down or tearing. A completely torn tendon might need surgery.
Prevention
To lower your chance of developing tendinitis, follow these suggestions:
- Ease up. Avoid activities that place too much stress on your tendons, especially for long periods. If you have pain during an exercise, stop and rest.
- Mix it up. If one exercise or activity causes you pain, take a break from it and try something else. Cross-training can help you mix high-impact exercise, such as running, with lower impact exercise, such as biking or swimming.
- Improve the way you move. If you don't do an activity or exercise properly, you could be setting yourself up for issues with your tendons. Think about taking lessons or getting professional instructions when starting a new sport or using exercise equipment.
- Move right in the workplace. Make sure your chair, keyboard and desktop are positioned correctly for your height, arm length and the tasks you do. This can help protect your joints and tendons from stress.
- Prepare your muscles. Strengthen muscles used in your activity or sport. For example, if you play baseball, use weights to strengthen the specific muscles you need to use. Strengthening muscles that you use can help them bear the load better and lower the risk of injury.