What Is Tendinitis?

A type of inflammation of the tendons (the connective tissues between your muscles and bones), tendinitis is a painful, nagging condition that can turn even simple movements into major challenges. Whether it’s your elbow aching after a weekend tennis match or your shoulder flaring up after some heavy lifting, tendinitis can slow you down and keep you from doing what you love. But most cases of tendinitis can be treated quickly with rest, anti-inflammatory medications, and physical therapy, if necessary.e60dc2a1-f33c-4a05-9b50-8e3e8e597629f3744e38-82b4-4061-8e76-5e58e4a1eaad
Types of Tendinitis Types Tendinitis can occur almost anywhere that a tendon connects muscle to bone, but some spots are more prone to irritation than others. Specific types of tendinitis are typically named after the area or activity (like a sport) most associated with it. Some common forms include:e60dc2a1-f33c-4a05-9b50-8e3e8e5976290b272834-7126-4536-bdea-ee749b417653e60dc2a1-f33c-4a05-9b50-8e3e8e597629cc40c74c-ce65-4950-86d2-44d22139ef13 Achilles Tendinitis This affects the Achilles tendon, which connects your calf muscles to your heel bone. Tennis Elbow (Lateral Epicondylitis) This affects the outer side of the elbow. Golfer ’ s Elbow (Medial Epicondylitis) This affects the inner side of the elbow. Rotator Cuff Tendinitis This affects the shoulder capsule and related tendons. Jumper’s Knee (Patellar Tendinitis) This affects the tendon connecting the kneecap to the shinbone. De Quervain ’ s Tenosynovitis This affects the tendons along the thumb side of the wrist.
Signs and Symptoms of Tendinitis Symptoms The main symptom of tendinitis is pain at the site of the affected tendon, particularly in the tissues surrounding a joint. You may experience a dull, chronic pain or one that is sharp and acute (comes on suddenly), especially if you have calcium deposits (a buildup of calcium in your tissues).e60dc2a1-f33c-4a05-9b50-8e3e8e597629f9706e71-6f07-49dd-9144-99a8ba08cb7ee60dc2a1-f33c-4a05-9b50-8e3e8e597629ef8626b7-b446-4ef0-88ee-9f3099f38355 Common signs include: Pain in the tendon that worsens with movemente60dc2a1-f33c-4a05-9b50-8e3e8e597629fe1947de-f0b7-42ca-8894-e94d92dcda0b Tenderness along the tendon or joint Mild swelling or a lump at the site, which may be red or purple and warm to the touch A crackling or grating sensation when you move the tendon or joint Weakness in the joint Stiff joints that may be difficult to move, especially in the morninge60dc2a1-f33c-4a05-9b50-8e3e8e597629ef8626b7-b446-4ef0-88ee-9f3099f38355e60dc2a1-f33c-4a05-9b50-8e3e8e597629b18bb743-379b-4b00-8ab1-ca7270cc785d More rarely, tendinitis caused by an infection like gonorrhea may be accompanied by other symptoms, such as rash, fever, or discharge from the vagina or penis.e60dc2a1-f33c-4a05-9b50-8e3e8e597629b31ac44d-734d-4c1f-9cd7-3e7f128403d9
Causes and Risk Factors of Tendinitis Causes Tendons are tough, fibrous cords that handle a lot of mechanical stress. But they can develop tiny tears or injuries from joint overuse (repetitive motions over time) or overload (excessive stress). Your body responds with inflammation to heal the injury, causing pain and swelling.e60dc2a1-f33c-4a05-9b50-8e3e8e5976299c8527dc-506c-4e78-92eb-089445ca03dc Often, the specific cause of tendinitis is unknown, but factors that can increase your risk of tendinitis include: Older age — tendons lose elasticity with aging Jobs that involve repetitive motions, awkward positions, or intense, prolonged vibration, such as construction, gardening, and painting Physical activity and sports, especially those involving repetitive motions or impact with hard surfaces (like gym floors), such as tennis, golf, running, baseball, and basketball Sudden increase in activity level or training intensitye60dc2a1-f33c-4a05-9b50-8e3e8e597629a440f869-f0ff-439d-81e3-86d853906f69 Poor posture or body movements while engaging in activities like aerobics, weight training, or paintinge60dc2a1-f33c-4a05-9b50-8e3e8e5976298c025917-da6d-48e1-bc67-0235d8522be8 Poor body flexibility or cardiovascular health Too little recovery time after injury Inadequate warm-up before exercise Muscle imbalancese60dc2a1-f33c-4a05-9b50-8e3e8e597629f2918784-990e-4f49-8307-41783cc5d938 Smoking, which reduces oxygen delivery to tendonse60dc2a1-f33c-4a05-9b50-8e3e8e59762993318ec3-cfc4-415b-b1a8-db7d855d0dde Medications, including statins, corticosteroids, and antibiotics like fluoroquinolonese60dc2a1-f33c-4a05-9b50-8e3e8e5976296b733462-040f-45d0-aad8-5626afc2b058 Health conditions including diabetes, obesity, rheumatoid arthritis, osteoarthritis, gout, and infections (gonorrhea)e60dc2a1-f33c-4a05-9b50-8e3e8e597629563417e3-728d-4f65-9243-eb0118c93a43 Pregnancy (specifically with tendinitis of the wrist)
How Is Tendinitis Diagnosed? Diagnosis If you’re dealing with persistent pain near a joint, it’s best to get checked out. Tendinitis can usually be diagnosed based on symptoms and a physical examination.e60dc2a1-f33c-4a05-9b50-8e3e8e597629666c73a1-8649-41ae-9dff-7e9e27bc6dea Your healthcare provider will start with your medical history, asking about your symptoms, recent activities, and any prior injuries. During the physical exam, they’ll check for tendon tenderness, swelling, range of motion, and pain during movement.e60dc2a1-f33c-4a05-9b50-8e3e8e597629ca47b757-dd81-4042-bb5a-ec1c0c0e6a83 Usually, a clinical exam is enough for diagnosis, but your provider may order other tests to confirm the diagnosis or rule out other causes of inflammation. These may include: Joint aspiration, which involves taking a small amount of fluid from a joint to check for gout or infectionse60dc2a1-f33c-4a05-9b50-8e3e8e597629fc1c4435-41f5-483b-bf22-d320b71c477d Blood tests Ultrasound or magnetic resonance imaging to evaluate the extent of tendon damage X-rays to find other causes of inflammation, such as arthritis or bone spurs, or to confirm that you don’t have bone fractures, joint dislocations, or bone disease
Treatment and Medication Options for Tendinitis Treatment For many people, self-care at home is all that’s needed for tendinitis treatment. Your provider may recommend the RICE (rest, ice, compression, elevation) protocol to reduce inflammation and pain and support healing:e60dc2a1-f33c-4a05-9b50-8e3e8e59762944107e89-4cdb-4d34-8464-0db4292fc5df Rest the affected area, including avoiding activities that can aggravate the tendons. Apply ice packs to reduce swelling (three to four times a day for 20 minutes).e60dc2a1-f33c-4a05-9b50-8e3e8e5976290d68e414-05b2-4b84-8bea-bf806c042c9e Use compression bandages, if necessary. Elevate the affected area whenever possible. Medication Options Medications can also help alleviate pain and inflammation, including: Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, such as ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin), naproxen (Aleve), or aspirin Topical anti-inflammatory gels and pain-relieving creams, applied directly to the affected areae60dc2a1-f33c-4a05-9b50-8e3e8e5976292b51eaaf-f8f2-46d6-8e2a-6a929c7f0df9 Antibiotics, if your tendinitis is caused by an infection Corticosteroid injections, which should only be used for short-term relief, if your pain is significant Physical Therapy If your tendinitis is severe or slow to heal, your provider may recommend physical therapy, which is often essential to strengthen your muscles and tendons and restore range of motion. A physical therapist may also use specialized local treatments that provide deep heat to your tissues using ultrasound, friction massage, or water therapy.e60dc2a1-f33c-4a05-9b50-8e3e8e5976290d68e414-05b2-4b84-8bea-bf806c042c9ee60dc2a1-f33c-4a05-9b50-8e3e8e5976294079de53-9e59-4b2b-b6c9-33dd4e30f9a8 Other Treatment Options Platelet-rich plasma injections — which use growth factors, anti-inflammatory proteins, and signaling molecules from your own blood — may also help stimulate healing if other conservative therapies don’t work. But results are mixed on the treatment’s effectiveness and many insurers don’t cover it.e60dc2a1-f33c-4a05-9b50-8e3e8e5976294ee7ed1a-060b-4c8f-a2b5-94c68c4cac21e60dc2a1-f33c-4a05-9b50-8e3e8e597629d09c17a5-c4e2-430a-98c2-515ffc671ddc Surgery is rarely used for tendinitis, typically only in severe cases that do not respond to other treatments.
Prevention of Tendinitis Prevention Strategies to reduce your risk of developing tendinitis include: Thoroughly warm up and stretch to loosen your muscles before intense activity.e60dc2a1-f33c-4a05-9b50-8e3e8e597629fa3217da-c821-4c13-8cf5-9f293dd75f7f Engage in cool-down exercises after intense activity to bring your blood pressure and heart rate down to resting levels and reduce your chances of injury and muscle cramps.e60dc2a1-f33c-4a05-9b50-8e3e8e597629cb20b640-8f37-426f-8612-63510f8f50c1 Use proper posture, technique, and equipment for any exercise or activity. Gradually increase your workout intensity and activity levels.e60dc2a1-f33c-4a05-9b50-8e3e8e5976298abf98fa-f43c-4409-9472-2c13cf9ebe13 Do not work or exercise through pain — listen to your body and take a break, using a cold compress to reduce inflammation, if necessary.e60dc2a1-f33c-4a05-9b50-8e3e8e5976291dc7ce7e-4d22-4211-b4c2-f0fc1771f060 Cross-train to mix up your workouts and avoid repetitive strain.e60dc2a1-f33c-4a05-9b50-8e3e8e5976291948ba1b-5429-4582-984d-3b7f946e8b20 Take breaks at work, especially if your job involves repetitive motion. Maintain flexibility and strength, as balanced muscles protect tendons from overload.
Lifestyle Changes for Tendinitis Lifestyle Changes If you have chronic tendon pain or are prone to flare-ups, a few lifestyle adjustments can make a big difference: Incorporate regular stretching and mobility exercises into your routine. Correct muscle imbalances and flexibility issues with targeted exercises.e60dc2a1-f33c-4a05-9b50-8e3e8e597629029ea40e-4bef-4a0d-a9d6-5135b3ee5fbc Prioritize ergonomics by adjusting your workspace, chair, etc. to reduce strain. Maintain a healthy weight for your body. Watch your cholesterol levels — elevated cholesterol levels have been associated with tendon injury.e60dc2a1-f33c-4a05-9b50-8e3e8e5976290fd3cc14-41e0-4814-8055-39318cc36391e60dc2a1-f33c-4a05-9b50-8e3e8e59762934d765fb-6b1c-490a-b27a-fc2e31ebcc89 Eat a nutrient-rich, anti-inflammatory diet (like the Mediterranean diet) that is low in saturated fats and sugar and high in leafy greens, nuts, fruits, and whole grains. Avoid smoking.
Tendinitis Prognosis Prognosis and Outlook With proper care, most people recover fully within a few weeks to a few months, depending on the severity of your tendinitis. Do not return to your normal physical activities until your provider says it’s safe to do so. It’s possible to injure your tendons again if you put too much strain on them too quickly — this is called a repetitive strain injury.e60dc2a1-f33c-4a05-9b50-8e3e8e597629a1b39922-11b9-441f-8d1f-fa34cd0f2596
Complications of Tendinitis Complications If left untreated or repeatedly aggravated, tendinitis can lead to: Chronic tendinitis Reduced mobility and range of motion Tendinosis (degenerative tendon changes without inflammation)e60dc2a1-f33c-4a05-9b50-8e3e8e5976293f6f4943-a45d-4865-9316-85573d84c242 Tendon rupture Muscle weakness
Research and Statistics Research and Statistics There are some six to seven million new cases of tendinitis worldwide each year.e60dc2a1-f33c-4a05-9b50-8e3e8e5976292e7e605e-f166-4ef4-8d97-088615832036 Achilles tendon injuries may account for 20 percent of all tendon injuries.e60dc2a1-f33c-4a05-9b50-8e3e8e59762928f8c471-f7f4-4a8b-8902-71619947c16e Achilles tendinitis is usually caused by overuse and accounts for 15 percent of all running-related injuries.e60dc2a1-f33c-4a05-9b50-8e3e8e597629faa8dede-ef04-459f-9ebe-eac818f11d6f Tennis elbow affects 40 to 50 percent of adult athletes who play racquet sports. Jumper’s knee affects between 2.5 and 14.4 percent of non-elite athletes in different sports.e60dc2a1-f33c-4a05-9b50-8e3e8e597629f7ae6931-1b1c-49f0-adca-e9b44d753b08
Related Conditions Related Conditions Tendinosis Tenosynovitis, inflammation of the tendon sheath (the protective outer covering of the tendon that produces synovial fluid, which helps with lubrication) Bursitis, inflammation of fluid-filled sacs that cushion joints Tendon rupture
The Takeaway Tendinitis is inflammation of a tendon, typically caused by overuse or overload. Most cases heal with self-care and physical therapy within weeks to months. Ignoring symptoms can lead to chronic tendon degeneration or tendon rupture. Preventive care — good technique and posture when engaging in physical activities, warm-up and cool-down exercises, and rest — is key.
Resources We Trust Mayo Clinic: Achilles TendinitisCleveland Clinic: Tendonitis vs. Tendinosis: How Can I Tell the Difference?American Medical Association: What Doctors Wish Patients Knew About TendinitisArthritis Foundation: Tendon Injuries and TreatmentsCreakyJoints: Arthritis and Tendonitis: What’s the Difference?