Tendinitis

What is tendinitis?

Tendinitis (or tendonitis) is an inflammation or irritation of a tendon. Tendons are pieces of connective tissue between muscles and bones. Tendinitis can be either acute (short-term) or chronic (long-term) in nature.

Who gets tendinitis?

Anyone can get tendinitis. However, it's more common in those who do repetitive activities. Some of these activities include:

• Gardening/landscaping.
• Woodworking.
• Shoveling.
• Painting.
• Scrubbing.
• Tennis, golf, skiing, baseball (throwing and pitching).

Other risk factors for tendinitis include:

• Poor posture at work or home.
• Presence of certain diseases that can weaken muscles. These diseases can include:
  • Rheumatoid arthritis.
  • Gout/pseudogout.
  • Blood or kidney diseases.
• Adults 40 years of age and older. As tendons age, they tolerate less stress, are less elastic and tear more easily.
• Medications (rare occurrence) that can cause tendons to tear. These medications can include:
  • Fluoroquinolone antibiotics (such as ciprofloxacin [Cipro®] and norfloxacin [Noroxin®]).
  • Statins (drugs that lower cholesterol).

Where does tendinitis occur?

Tendinitis can occur in almost any area of the body where a tendon connects a bone to a muscle. The most common places are:

• Base of the thumb.
• Elbow.
• Shoulder.
• Hip.
• Knee.
• Achilles tendon (connects the calf muscles to the heel bone).

What causes tendinitis?

Tendinitis most often is caused by repetitive, minor impact on the affected area, or from a sudden, more serious injury.

What are the symptoms of tendinitis?

One of the main symptoms of tendinitis is pain at the site of the tendon and surrounding area. Pain may be a gradual buildup or sudden and severe, especially if calcium deposits are present.