Tendonitis

Tendonitis is inflammation or irritation of a tendon.  Tendons are thick cords that join your muscles to your bones.  Tendonitis can cause acute pain and tenderness making it difficult to move the affected joint.  While tendonitis can occur in any of your tendons, it’s most common around your shoulders, elbows, wrists, knees and heels.   Common names for various tendonitis problems are Tennis elbow, Golfer’s elbow, Pitcher’s shoulder, Jumper’s knee and Swimmer’s shoulder.

Causes of tendonitis

• Injury
• Aging – as people get older, their tendons become less flexible making injury easier
• Certain diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis or diabetes
• Certain antibiotics such as Levaquin or quinolones

If your job requires physical exertion, overhead lifting or repetitive motions or tasks, you may be at higher risks.  Also athletes who participate in certain sports, such as tennis, bowling, golf or basketball are at higher risks.

Symptoms of tendonitis

• Pain described as a dull ache, especially when moving the affected limb or joint
• Tenderness
• Mild swelling

Normally your doctor can diagnose tendonitis during the physical exam alone.  Your doctor may order X-rays or other imaging tests if it’s necessary to rule out other conditions that may be causing your signs or symptoms.

Treatment Options

• Resting and elevation
• Applying ice or heat
• Medications such as pain reliever acetaminophen (Tylenol) and anti inflammatory drugs aspirin (Bayer), ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin) and naproxen (Aleve, Naprosyn)
• Doing stretches and exercises to build strength and improve mobility
• Wrapping the area in compression bandages

For more severe conditions:

• Supports such as splints, braces or a cane
• Corticosteroid injections
• Physical therapy

There are some simple steps to lower your chances of developing tendonitis such as keeping physically fit, warming up before exercising, avoiding repetitive motions, and use proper equipment at work and during athletic activities.

When treated early, tendonitis usually resolves quickly.  For some people, it can recur and become a chronic or long-term problem.    If a tendon should rupture or if inflammation continues without treatment, surgery may be necessary.  Also surgery may be necessary for cases that don’t respond well to other treatments.