What is tendonitis?

Tendons are thick cords of tissue that attach muscles to bones. When these tendons become irritated or inflamed, it’s called tendonitis. Tendonitis causes acute pain, swelling, and tenderness in the affected joint, making it painful to move.
Any tendon can develop tendonitis, but you’re more likely to develop it in joints that are most active during physical activities, like your elbow, heel, knee, shoulder, or wrist.
Symptoms of tendonitis
Tendonitis usually happens after repeated use of a joint, such as the wrist or ankle, is done too much or incorrectly, which leads to injury. Tendonitis symptoms include pain, tenderness, and soreness around a joint. It is difficult and painful to move and is also painful to the touch. Sometimes the affected joint can swell.
Types of tendonitis
Most common forms of tendonitis are named after the sports that increase their risk. They include:
Golfer's elbow
This type of tendonitis is when the tendons that attach your forearm muscles to the inside bone at your elbow become inflamed.
Jumper's knee
Also known as Patellar Tendonitis, jumper’s knee is characterized by an inflammation in the patellar tendon, which connects the kneecap to the shin bone. Continued activity on jumper’s knee could lead to a tear in the tendon.
Pitcher's shoulder
Overhand throwing places extreme stress on the shoulder, particularly the tendons that keep the shoulder stable. While most common among baseball players, this tendonitis can also be seen in other types of sports that require repetitive overhand motions like volleyball, tennis, and some track and field events.
Swimmer's shoulder
Similar to pitcher’s shoulder, this form of tendonitis affects the shoulder ligaments from continuous improper overhead motions of the arm. Freestyle or backstroke are the most common swim strokes to cause tendonitis.
Tennis elbow
Tennis elbow is inflammation or sometimes a micro-tear of the tendons that join the forearm muscles on the outside of the elbow. The forearm muscles and tendons are damaged from repeating the same motions over and over. This leads to pain and tenderness on the outside of the elbow.

SLIDESHOW
Pictures of the 7 Riskiest Workout Moves, and How to Improve Them See SlideshowCauses of tendonitis
The most common cause of tendonitis is overuse through repetitive action. Tendons help you make a certain movement over and over. You increase the risk of developing tendonitis, however, if you make the same motion too often, or in incorrect ways.
Overload can also cause tendonitis. If you increase an activity level or intensity too quickly, you can more easily create tendonitis.
Tendonitis can occur from an acute injury on a single occasion, but usually develops over time through overuse.
Diagnosis for tendonitis
In order to diagnose tendonitis, your doctor will review your medical history and ask about the quality of your pain. They will perform a physical exam of the affected area, checking for pain, tenderness, swelling, redness, and range of motion.
If they can’t confirm what is causing the tendonitis, they may order additional tests that could include X-rays, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans, or ultrasounds.
Treatments for tendonitis
Treatment options for mild tendonitis can be done at home and are meant to reduce pain, swelling, and inflammation in the injured tendon. Some basic remedies include:
- Apply heat or ice.
- Do stretches and exercises to improve mobility and build strength.
- Rest or elevate the tendon.
- Take over-the-counter pain relief medication like acetaminophen (Tylenol), and the anti-inflammatory drugs aspirin (Bayer) or ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin).
- Wrap a compression bandage around the joint until the swelling goes away.
If your condition is more severe, your doctor may also recommend support like a splint, brace, or cane. In extreme cases, surgery can be performed to remove the inflamed tissue, followed by physical therapy. A single corticosteroid injection can reduce pain and inflammation, but repeated injections can cause the tendon to weaken and increase your chances of injury.
Tendonitis usually resolves quickly, especially if it is treated early. For some people, however, it can become a recurring, chronic problem. If the physical activities you’re engaged in keep causing tendonitis, you might think of reducing or completely removing them from your physical regimen, or at least until you have fully healed. Otherwise, you risk causing a more severe injury, like a ruptured tendon.
Latest Chronic Pain News
Daily Health News
Health Solutions From Our Sponsors
American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons, OrthoInfo: “Shoulder Injuries in the Throwing Athlete.”
American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons, OrthoInfo: “Tennis Elbow (Lateral Epicondylitis).”
American College of Rheumatology: “Tendinitis (Bursitis).”
Harvard Health Publishing: “Tendonitis.”
Johns Hopkins Medicine: “Patellar Tendonitis (Jumper’s Knee).”
North American Journal of Sports Physical Therapy: “Prevention and Treatment of Swimmer’s Shoulder.”
National Institute of Health, News in Health: “Protect Your Tendons: Preventing the Pain of Tendinitis.”
Top How Do You Know You Have Tendonitis Related Articles
Achilles Tendon Rupture
The Achilles tendon is the body's largest and strongest tendon. Repeated stress is the usual cause of a ruptured Achilles tendon. Surgery is the typical treatment for a torn Achilles tendon.Chronic Pain
Chronic pain is pain (an unpleasant sense of discomfort) that persists or progresses over a long period of time. In contrast to acute pain that arises suddenly in response to a specific injury and is usually treatable, chronic pain persists over time and is often resistant to medical treatments.Chronic Pain Syndrome
What is chronic pain syndrome (CPS)? See causes, symptoms and treatment options including medications. Learn about pain management tips such as strength training, biofeedback, and yoga, as well as forms of chronic pain such as lower back pain, arthritis, migraines, and more.What Is the Fastest Way to Heal Tendonitis in the Wrist?
Learn what medical treatments can help ease your wrist tendonitis symptoms and help you manage this condition.How Do You Treat Tendonitis in the Ankle?
Learn about the causes and symptoms of tendonitis in the ankle and treatment options.How Do You Treat Tendonitis in the Elbow?
Learn what medical treatments can help ease your elbow tendonitis symptoms and help you manage tendonitis in the elbow.15 Ways to Reduce Pain
Chronic pain can be a symptom of many conditions, including arthritis, headaches, and others. Comprehensive pain management therapy may include physical therapy, lifestyle strategies such as exercise, diet changes, meditation, journaling, medications, and avoiding alcohol and tobacco use. Make helpful changes to manage your chronic condition.What Are Flexor Tendon Lacerations?
A flexor tendon laceration is a deep cut on the palm side of the fingers, hand, wrist, or forearm that can injure the flexor tendon. A flexor tendon laceration can be managed by surgical and non-surgical therapy. Partially torn tendons can be treated with nonsurgical treatments. Non-surgical management can only be done if less than 60% tendon is involved. Non-surgical treatment options include using a splint, applying ice packs on the affected area and anti-inflammatory and pain relievers, such as ibuprofen.What Is a Bicipital Tendon Injection?
Bicipital tendon injection involves injecting corticosteroids into the tendon to relieve pain and inflammation.What Is an Extensor Tendon Repair?
Surgical repair of a lacerated or torn extensor tendon is called extensor tendon repair. An extensor tendon repair surgery can be performed under either regional or general anesthesia. The goal of extensor tendon repair surgery is to re-establish the integrity and durability of the damaged tendon and renew as much of the previous function as possible.What Is Tendon Transfer Surgery?
Tendon transfer surgery is a type of hand surgery that is performed to improve the lost function of the hand. In this surgery, a functioning tendon is shifted from its original attachment to another site in the hand for restoring the lost action. Complications include infection, pain, repair failure, tendon adhesion (tendons become stuck to the surrounding tissue and lose their range of movement), hand deformity, bleeding, injury to nearby nerves, tendons or blood vessels; hand stiffness, hand weakness, swelling, rupture of the transferred tendon, and the need for another corrective surgery.What Is the Best Treatment for Knee Tendonitis?
Learn what medical treatments can help ease your knee tendonitis symptoms and speed up your recovery.