Tendonitis
Encyclopedia
Tendinitis meaning inflammation
of a tendon
(the suffix -itis denotes diseases characterized by inflammation), is a type of tendinopathy
often confused with the more common tendinosis
, which has similar symptoms but requires different treatment. The term tendinitis should be reserved for tendon injuries that involve larger-scale acute injuries accompanied by inflammation. Generally tendinitis is referred to by the body part involved, such as Achilles tendinitis (affecting the Achilles tendon
), or patellar tendinitis (jumper's knee
, affecting the patellar tendon).
attachments), and are less common in the hips and torso. Individual variation in frequency and severity of tendinitis will vary depending on the type, frequency and severity of exercise or use; for example, rock climbers tend to develop tendinitis in their fingers or elbows, swimmers in their shoulders. 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 owing to the amount of jumping and landing.
A veterinary equivalent to Achilles tendinitis is bowed tendon
, tendinitis of the superficial digital tendon of the horse
.
, to a burning that surrounds the whole joint
around the inflamed tendon. Swelling may happen along with heat and redness, but not in all cases, 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 following 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
.
s, rest, and gradual return to exercise is a common therapy. Resting assists in the prevention of further damage to the tendon. Ice, compression and elevation are also frequently recommended. Physical therapy
, orthotics or braces may also be useful. 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.
Steroid injections have not been shown to have long term benefits and are equivalent to NSAIDs in the short term. In chronic tendinitis laser therapy has been found to be better than conservative treatment at reducing pain; however, no other outcomes were accessed.
is a technique where the area of tendinitis is injected with the patient's own blood in order to stimulate tendon healing. The procedure does result in a pain flare for several days as the blood irritates the tendon; however, platelet-derived growth factor
, which is contained in platelets, is thought to commence the healing process. The treatment has been tested in two small trials for tennis elbow
.
Inflammation
Inflammation is part of the complex biological response of vascular tissues to harmful stimuli, such as pathogens, damaged cells, or irritants. Inflammation is a protective attempt by the organism to remove the injurious stimuli and to initiate the healing process...
of a tendon
Tendon
A tendon is a tough band of fibrous connective tissue that usually connects muscle to bone and is capable of withstanding tension. Tendons are similar to ligaments and fasciae as they are all made of collagen except that ligaments join one bone to another bone, and fasciae connect muscles to other...
(the suffix -itis denotes diseases characterized by inflammation), is a type of tendinopathy
Tendinopathy
Tendinopathy refers to a disease of a tendon. More specifically, it can refer to:* Tendinitis* TendinosisTendon injury arise from a combination of intrinsic and extrinsic factors; acute tendon injuries may be predominantly caused by extrinsic factors, whereas in overuse syndromes as in the case of...
often confused with the more common tendinosis
Tendinosis
Tendinosis, sometimes called chronic tendinitis, tendinosus, chronic tendinopathy or chronic tendon injury, is damage to a tendon at a cellular level . It is thought to be caused by microtears in the connective tissue in and around the tendon, leading to an increase in tendon repair cells...
, which has similar symptoms but requires different treatment. The term tendinitis should be reserved for tendon injuries that involve larger-scale acute injuries accompanied by inflammation. Generally tendinitis is referred to by the body part involved, such as Achilles tendinitis (affecting the Achilles tendon
Achilles tendon
The Achilles tendon , also known as the calcaneal tendon or the tendo calcaneus, is a tendon of the posterior leg. It serves to attach the plantaris, gastrocnemius and soleus muscles to the calcaneus bone.- Anatomy :The Achilles is the tendonous extension of 3 muscles in the lower leg:...
), or patellar tendinitis (jumper's knee
Jumper's Knee
Patellar tendinitis , is a relatively common cause of pain in the inferior patellar region in athletes...
, affecting the patellar tendon).
Types
Tendinitis injuries are common in the upper and lower limbs (including the rotator cuffRotator cuff
In anatomy, the rotator cuff is the group of muscles and their tendons that act to stabilize the shoulder. The four muscles of the rotator cuff, along with the teres major muscle, the coracobrachialis muscle and the deltoid, make up the seven scapulohumeral muscles of the human body.-Function:The...
attachments), and are less common in the hips and torso. Individual variation in frequency and severity of tendinitis will vary depending on the type, frequency and severity of exercise or use; for example, rock climbers tend to develop tendinitis in their fingers or elbows, swimmers in their shoulders. Achilles tendinitis is a common injury, particularly in sports that involve lunging and jumping while Patellar tendinitis is a common among basketball
Basketball
Basketball is a team sport in which two teams of five players try to score points by throwing or "shooting" a ball through the top of a basketball hoop while following a set of rules...
and volleyball
Volleyball
Volleyball is a team sport in which two teams of six players are separated by a net. Each team tries to score points by grounding a ball on the other team's court under organized rules.The complete rules are extensive...
players owing to the amount of jumping and landing.
A veterinary equivalent to Achilles tendinitis is bowed tendon
Bowed tendon
Tendinitis/tendonitis is inflammation of a tendon. Many times, the tendon tissue is torn. A bowed tendon is a horseman's term for a tendon after a horse has sustained an injury that caused the tendon fibers to be torn, and then healed with "bowed" appearance.-Description of a Tendinitis in...
, tendinitis of the superficial digital tendon of the horse
Horse
The horse is one of two extant subspecies of Equus ferus, or the wild horse. It is a single-hooved mammal belonging to the taxonomic family Equidae. The horse has evolved over the past 45 to 55 million years from a small multi-toed creature into the large, single-toed animal of today...
.
Diagnosis
Symptoms can vary from aches or pains and local stiffnessStiffness
Stiffness is the resistance of an elastic body to deformation by an applied force along a given degree of freedom when a set of loading points and boundary conditions are prescribed on the elastic body.-Calculations:...
, to a burning that surrounds the whole joint
Joint
A joint is the location at which two or more bones make contact. They are constructed to allow movement and provide mechanical support, and are classified structurally and functionally.-Classification:...
around the inflamed tendon. Swelling may happen along with heat and redness, but not in all cases, 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 following 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
Tendinosis, sometimes called chronic tendinitis, tendinosus, chronic tendinopathy or chronic tendon injury, is damage to a tendon at a cellular level . It is thought to be caused by microtears in the connective tissue in and around the tendon, leading to an increase in tendon repair cells...
.
Treatment
Treatment of tendon injuries is largely conservative. Use of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugNon-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug
Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, usually abbreviated to NSAIDs or NAIDs, but also referred to as nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory agents/analgesics or nonsteroidal Anti-inflammatory medicines , are drugs with analgesic and antipyretic effects and which have, in higher doses, anti-inflammatory...
s, rest, and gradual return to exercise is a common therapy. Resting assists in the prevention of further damage to the tendon. Ice, compression and elevation are also frequently recommended. Physical therapy
Physical therapy
Physical therapy , often abbreviated PT, is a health care profession. Physical therapy is concerned with identifying and maximizing quality of life and movement potential within the spheres of promotion, prevention, diagnosis, treatment/intervention,and rehabilitation...
, orthotics or braces may also be useful. Initial recovery is typically within 2 to 3 days and full recovery is within 4 to 6 weeks. As tendinosis
Tendinosis
Tendinosis, sometimes called chronic tendinitis, tendinosus, chronic tendinopathy or chronic tendon injury, is damage to a tendon at a cellular level . It is thought to be caused by microtears in the connective tissue in and around the tendon, leading to an increase in tendon repair cells...
is more common than tendinitis, and has similar symptoms, tendinitis is often initially treated the same as tendinosis
Tendinosis
Tendinosis, sometimes called chronic tendinitis, tendinosus, chronic tendinopathy or chronic tendon injury, is damage to a tendon at a cellular level . It is thought to be caused by microtears in the connective tissue in and around the tendon, leading to an increase in tendon repair cells...
. This helps reduce some of the chronic long-term risks of tendinosis
Tendinosis
Tendinosis, sometimes called chronic tendinitis, tendinosus, chronic tendinopathy or chronic tendon injury, is damage to a tendon at a cellular level . It is thought to be caused by microtears in the connective tissue in and around the tendon, leading to an increase in tendon repair cells...
, which takes longer to heal.
Steroid injections have not been shown to have long term benefits and are equivalent to NSAIDs in the short term. In chronic tendinitis laser therapy has been found to be better than conservative treatment at reducing pain; however, no other outcomes were accessed.
Research
Autologous blood injectionAutologous blood injection
Autologous Blood Injection , also known as Autologous Conditioned Plasma Injection is a recent medical procedure whereby a patient's blood is injected into an area of the body for the purposes of healing. It is most commonly used to treat degeneration of tendons, which may occur in association...
is a technique where the area of tendinitis is injected with the patient's own blood in order to stimulate tendon healing. The procedure does result in a pain flare for several days as the blood irritates the tendon; however, platelet-derived growth factor
Platelet-derived growth factor
In molecular biology, platelet-derived growth factor is one of the numerous growth factors, or proteins that regulate cell growth and division. In particular, it plays a significant role in blood vessel formation , the growth of blood vessels from already-existing blood vessel tissue. Uncontrolled...
, which is contained in platelets, is thought to commence the healing process. The treatment has been tested in two small trials for tennis elbow
Tennis elbow
Lateral epicondylitis or lateral epicondylalgia, also known as tennis elbow, shooter's elbow and archer's elbow, is a condition where the outer part of the elbow becomes sore and tender...
.
See also
- Repetitive strain injuryRepetitive strain injuryRepetitive strain injury is an injury of the musculoskeletal and nervous systems that may be caused by...
- TendinosisTendinosisTendinosis, sometimes called chronic tendinitis, tendinosus, chronic tendinopathy or chronic tendon injury, is damage to a tendon at a cellular level . It is thought to be caused by microtears in the connective tissue in and around the tendon, leading to an increase in tendon repair cells...
- Achilles Tendinitis
- Calcific tendinitisCalcific tendinitisCalcific tendinitis , a form of tendinitis, is a disorder characterized by deposits of hydroxyapatite in any tendon of the...
- Orthopedic surgeryOrthopedic surgeryOrthopedic surgery or orthopedics is the branch of surgery concerned with conditions involving the musculoskeletal system...
- ProlotherapyProlotherapyProlotherapy is also known as "proliferation therapy" or "regenerative injection therapy." involves injecting an otherwise non-pharmacological and non-active irritant solution into the body, generally in the region of tendons or ligaments for the purpose of strengthening weakened connective tissue...
- Stenosing tenosynovitisStenosing tenosynovitisStenosing tenosynovitis is the progressive restriction of the sheath surrounding a tendon, causing inflammation .Two common diagnoses fall into this category:* DeQuervain's Syndrome...
- Tennis elbowTennis elbowLateral epicondylitis or lateral epicondylalgia, also known as tennis elbow, shooter's elbow and archer's elbow, is a condition where the outer part of the elbow becomes sore and tender...
- TenosynovitisTenosynovitisTenosynovitis is the inflammation of the fluid-filled sheath that surrounds a tendon. Symptoms of tenosynovitis include pain, swelling and difficulty moving the particular joint where the inflammation occurs. When the condition causes the finger to "stick" in a flexed position, this is called...
- Tension myositis syndromeTension myositis syndromeTension myositis syndrome , also known as tension myoneural syndrome, is a name given by John E. Sarno to a condition he describes as characterized by psychosomatic musculoskeletal and nerve symptoms, most notably back pain...
External links
- HealthTouch.com, Tendinitis/Bursitis provided by the American College of RheumatologyAmerican College of RheumatologyThe American College of Rheumatology is an organization of and for physicians, health professionals, and scientists that advances rheumatology through programs of education, research, advocacy and practice support that foster excellence in the care of people with arthritis and rheumatic and...
.