Tendinitis

Overview

Tendinitis is a medical condition that results from inflammation of tendons, which are the connective tissues that attach muscles to bones. It usually occurs due to repetitive activities and can cause pain and discomfort.

Tendinitis commonly affects several areas of the body, including the elbow, knee, shoulder, hip, Achilles tendon, and the base of the thumb. It is also referred to as tendonitis and results in tenderness and pain around the area where the affected tendon connects to the bone.

In general, rest, physical therapy, and pain-relieving medication are sufficient to treat most cases of tendinitis. However, if the inflammation persists over a prolonged period, it can lead to tendon tearing, which may necessitate surgical treatment.

Symptoms

Tendinitis symptoms typically manifest at the site where a tendon connects to a bone, and may include the following:

• Discomfort, which is often characterized as a persistent, throbbing ache, particularly when the affected limb or joint is in motion.
• Tenderness in the affected area.
• Swelling

If you experience tendinitis, taking care of yourself can often be effective. However, if your symptoms persist for several days and start to affect your ability to perform daily tasks, it’s advisable to seek medical attention from your healthcare provider.

Causes

A sudden injury can result in tendinitis. Yet, the most likely reason is repeating the same movement again over time. The majority of persons who get tendinitis do so as a result of repetitive actions in their work or hobbies. Tendons are strained as a result.
While doing repetitive movements for a work or in sports, proper mobility is extremely crucial. Inappropriate movement can overload the tendon and cause tendinitis.

Risk factors

There are several factors that can increase the likelihood of developing tendinitis, including:

• Age. As individuals age, their tendons experience reduced flexibility, rendering them more susceptible to injuries.
• Occupation. Individuals who work in occupations that require repetitive movements, awkward postures, frequent overhead reaching, exposure to vibrations, and forced movements, such as gardeners and manual laborers, are more susceptible to developing tendinitis.
• Activities. Tendinitis is more likely to occur during physical activities when certain precautions are not taken. Factors that can increase the risk of tendinitis include sudden and significant increases in training intensity or volume, using inappropriate or worn-out equipment such as shoes, exercising on hard surfaces like concrete or gym floors, not allowing sufficient recovery time after an injury, and improper body posture or movements.
• Having a disease and taking medications. Tendinitis risk can be elevated due to specific medical conditions, like diabetes. Additionally, certain medications may increase the risk of developing tendinitis. These medications include fluoroquinolines, which are a type of antibiotics, cortisone which is a corticosteroid, and aromatase inhibitors, which are used to reduce the risk of breast cancer.