Tendonitis is an umbrella term that describes the inflammation of a tendon: a thick, rope-like tissue that connects a bone to a muscle. It’s one of the most common reasons for soft-tissue musculoskeletal pain.
Tendonitis isn’t the same thing as arthritis, which refers to inflammation of a joint. Tendons may be a part of a joint, but they’re located outside of the joint space.
You may see tendonitis written as "tendinitis,” and that’s okay. It’s merely a spelling variant, though it can be a bit confusing.
That confusion is compounded by the fact that tendonitis is one of the two main types of “tendinopathy” — any painful condition in or around the tendons caused by overuse.
The other main type is tendinosis, which refers not to inflammation, but to a degeneration of — and small tears in — the tendon. Someone who experiences recurring tendonitis may develop tendinosis, although it can also result from an acute injury.
At The Woodlands Sports Medicine Centre, our expert team of sports medicine and pain management providers sees our fair share of tendonitis problems at our offices in The Woodlands and Conroe, Texas. That’s why we offer a number of treatment options to help resolve the issue.
If you’re new to tendonitis, here are five things you should know about the condition, so you’ll know when to seek medical attention.
Tendonitis is usually caused by an overuse (repetitive stress) injury, such as long-distance running, ballet, or working on an assembly line, where you make the same movements over and over. Less commonly, it may develop in areas where calcium deposits have developed.
As people age, that repetitive motion can injure the tendon where it attaches to bone, resulting in an inflammatory response by the body. That inflammation can lead to swelling, stiffness, pain, warmth, tenderness, and redness, necessitating treatment.
Tendonitis can be confused with a muscle strain, but there’s a way to tell the difference. With a muscle strain, you feel the pain in the muscle itself; with tendonitis, you feel the pain near where the muscle attaches to the bone.
There are many common types of tendonitis, including:
Though all of these occur in different parts of the body, the pain and stiffness are all caused by repetitive movement over time.
The quicker you treat your tendonitis, the quicker you’ll recover full strength and flexibility in the tendon. Tendonitis usually responds well to conservative treatments.
The first line of treatment should be the “RICE” protocol: Rest, Ice, Compression, and Elevation. You can use an ACE bandage or sleeve for compression, and you should elevate the tendon above heart level to prevent swelling.
Methods of treating tendonitis differ depending on which part of the body is injured. They may include:
You should also be mindful of your movement and modify your activities to give the injury time to rest and heal. Heading back to your sport or job too soon will only result in further injury.
If you’ve scaled back from activities but your pain doesn’t improve in a few days, come see us at The Woodlands Sports Medicine Centre. We may prescribe PT to work on the flexibility and strength of the involved tendon, and possibly modify your body mechanics to lessen stress on the tendon.
If you’re in too much pain to engage in PT, we can give you a cortisone shot to decrease the pain enough so you can engage in therapeutic activity.
If your problem can’t be resolved by conservative means, especially if the weakened tendon is at risk of a tear or rupture, our sports medicine specialists are equipped to surgically repair the damage.
Are you experiencing the pain and stiffness of tendonitis and aren’t getting better? The Woodlands Sports Medicine Centre can help. Call us at either office or request an appointment online today.
