What is Tendonitis/Tendinitis?

Tendonitis, also known as tendinitis, is the inflammation of a tendon. Tendonitis is a painful injury that happens when your tendons become tight, irritated or inflamed.

Your tendons are cord-like structures that attach your muscles to nearby bones. Tendons help you move the bones and joints in your body. It is normal for tendons to stretch a little as you lift, bend and push. However, too much activity can cause the tendons to wear out and become inflamed. As an overuse injury, tendonitis happens with repetitive movements, such as bending and extending.

Tendonitis can affect your: 

• Shoulders
• Elbows
• Wrists
• Hips
• Knees
• Ankles
• Feet

Types of Tendonitis

There are many types of tendonitis, including: 

Symptoms of Tendonitis

Common symptoms of tendonitis include pain and discomfort. The ways these symptoms affect you on and off the field depends on how frequently the tendons are inflamed. Tendonitis symptoms include: 

• Pain along the tendon, especially with gentle pushing
• Swelling from fluid and inflammation
• A grating feeling when moving the joint

How Does Tendonitis Feel?

Occasional bouts of tendonitis cause a dull pain. The tendons repair themselves quickly, which is why the pain may seem to come and go.

Ongoing (chronic) inflammation means the tendons are not able to repair themselves. You may experience constant pain. Chronic tendonitis increases your risk for a more serious injury, such as rupturing or tearing the tendon. 

Causes

When you put too much stress on your body, the tendons work harder than they should. Over time, the tendons become inflamed and tighten as a way of protecting themselves. Damaged tendons are less flexible, which causes discomfort as you try to move your muscles. 

Other possible causes of tendonitis include:

• Forceful motions, such as throwing 
• Poor body mechanics or technique when doing an activity like lifting weights or gymnastics
• A natural loss of elasticity in the tendons that happens with age
• Medical conditions such as arthritis, infections and diabetes 

Diagnosis

The first step in diagnosis tendonitis is performing a comprehensive evaluation. We consider all possible causes of your symptoms and use special imaging tests to help you get an accurate diagnosis. 

To be diagnosed with tendonitis, you may receive:

• Medical history: We ask a lot of questions about your health history as well as your current exercise habits. We listen carefully as you describe the pain and how it changes with activity and rest.
• Physical exam: We examine the injured area by moving it in certain ways. We check for areas of tenderness and test your range of motion. We also try to rule out other sports injuries, such as an inflammation of the fluid-filled sacs near the tendons (bursitis).
• X-rays: Although X-rays do not show tendons, these tests can be helpful in ruling out other medical conditions, such as bone problems. 
• Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI): If we suspect there is a partial or complete tendon tear, we may order an MRI to examine the area more closely. 
• Testing for infection: On rare occasions, tendonitis can be caused by infections. We may order blood tests or remove a sample of fluid from the inflamed area to rule out an infection.
• Ultrasound: This test uses sound waves to produce images of the soft tissue structures within and around the injured area. Soft tissue structures include joints, ligaments and tendons, which are not easy to see using other tests. 

What to Do for Tendonitis

The first step in any tendonitis treatment is rest. Resting the injured tendon allows your body to try and heal on its own. Other ways to help tendonitis include medication, physical therapy and support.

Common Tendonitis Treatments

By using simple treatments to relieve discomfort, this will help you make a smooth transition back to physical activity. These treatments may include: 

• Braces and casts: These devices wrap part way or all the way around the injured area to support and protect your tendon and the surrounding area. The device that is best for you depends on which tendon is affected and how bad the injury is. For example, if you have partially torn a tendon, we may use a cast.
• Medication: Your provider may recommend medications to help relieve pain and inflammation from tendonitis. These medications may include aspirin and ibuprofen.
• Steroid injections: Injecting steroids, such as cortisone, into the tendon can help to reduce swelling and break up scar tissue in the joints.
• Physical therapy: Physical therapists use special exercises to gently stretch and strengthen the tendon and surrounding muscle. These exercises restore the tendon's natural functioning and can prevent re-injury from tendonitis. 

Advanced Tendonitis Treatments

Advanced treatments for tendonitis include: 

• Platelet-rich plasma therapy: This new treatment uses your body’s own cells to jumpstart the tendonitis healing process. Platelet-rich plasma therapy works by extracting components of your blood known as platelets, which are part of the body’s natural healing process. The platelets are then injected into the injured area in concentrated form. 
• Dry needling: We dry needling, thin needles are gently inserted into the skin to help release tight bands of muscle and stiff tendons. These areas are called trigger points and cause pain over a large area. The needles help stimulate the trigger point so the muscles and tendons can relax. 
• Soft tissue massage: Your blood delivers fresh oxygen and nutrients and removes toxins, both of which help you heal. Gently massaging areas of tightness helps your muscles and tendons relax. 
• Surgery: In rare cases, inflamed tissue from tendonitis can be removed using a surgical procedure. If a tendon is completely torn, you may also need a procedure to repair it. 

How Long Does it Take for Tendonitis to Heal?

A mild case of tendonitis takes about 2-3 weeks to heal on average while chronic tendonitis takes about 6 weeks to heal completely.

How to Prevent Tendonitis

To prevent tendonitis, it's important to not take 

• Avoid repetitive motions: Repetitive motions, especially with poor technique, can lead to tendonitis
• Warm up prior to exercise: Warming up prior to exercising can help prevent tendonitis. Likewise, it is important to stretch after exercising
• Cross-train: If one type of exercise is irritating, use a combination of different exercises to prevent overuse. Combining cardio and strength training exercises allows for cross-training muscles.
• Rest: Give yourself time for your body to rest, especially if participating in repetitive exercise to prevent overuse

Tendonitis Care at Baptist Health: Our Approach

Our sports medicine program goes beyond relieving your aches and pains. We use a comprehensive approach to get to the root cause of your symptoms, so you can get the best treatments for your situation. 

Highlights of our program include: 

• Innovative treatments: We offer the best available treatments, including platelet-rich plasma therapy. This non-surgical treatment has helped professional golfers and football players return to the field without surgery. At Baptist Health, athletes of any skill level have access to this treatment. 
• Comprehensive evaluation: Our sports medicine experts ask a lot of questions and listen carefully as you describe your symptoms. We also offer a variety of imaging tests, including in-office ultrasound capabilities. 
• An understanding of your needs: We know that injuries are frustrating and that you are anxious to know how long you may be sidelined. Our team works quickly to give you an accurate diagnosis and sets realistic expectations for your recovery. We tailor treatments to help you plan for a safe return to sports based your unique needs. 

Our goal is to work with your body’s natural ability to heal itself. We carefully add in other treatments and help you gradually return to exercise only when it is safe to do so. Our mindful approach helps you make a full recovery so that you can enjoy your sport for many seasons to come. 

Causes

When you put too much stress on your body, the tendons work harder than they should. Over time, the tendons become inflamed and tighten as a way of protecting themselves. Damaged tendons are less flexible, which causes discomfort as you try to move your muscles. 

Other possible causes of tendonitis include:

• Forceful motions, such as throwing 
• Poor body mechanics or technique when doing an activity like lifting weights or gymnastics
• A natural loss of elasticity in the tendons that happens with age
• Medical conditions such as arthritis, infections and diabetes 

Diagnosis

The first step in diagnosis tendonitis is performing a comprehensive evaluation. We consider all possible causes of your symptoms and use special imaging tests to help you get an accurate diagnosis. 

To be diagnosed with tendonitis, you may receive:

• Medical history: We ask a lot of questions about your health history as well as your current exercise habits. We listen carefully as you describe the pain and how it changes with activity and rest.
• Physical exam: We examine the injured area by moving it in certain ways. We check for areas of tenderness and test your range of motion. We also try to rule out other sports injuries, such as an inflammation of the fluid-filled sacs near the tendons (bursitis).
• X-rays: Although X-rays do not show tendons, these tests can be helpful in ruling out other medical conditions, such as bone problems. 
• Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI): If we suspect there is a partial or complete tendon tear, we may order an MRI to examine the area more closely. 
• Testing for infection: On rare occasions, tendonitis can be caused by infections. We may order blood tests or remove a sample of fluid from the inflamed area to rule out an infection.
• Ultrasound: This test uses sound waves to produce images of the soft tissue structures within and around the injured area. Soft tissue structures include joints, ligaments and tendons, which are not easy to see using other tests. 

What to Do for Tendonitis

The first step in any tendonitis treatment is rest. Resting the injured tendon allows your body to try and heal on its own. Other ways to help tendonitis include medication, physical therapy and support.

Common Tendonitis Treatments

By using simple treatments to relieve discomfort, this will help you make a smooth transition back to physical activity. These treatments may include: 

• Braces and casts: These devices wrap part way or all the way around the injured area to support and protect your tendon and the surrounding area. The device that is best for you depends on which tendon is affected and how bad the injury is. For example, if you have partially torn a tendon, we may use a cast.
• Medication: Your provider may recommend medications to help relieve pain and inflammation from tendonitis. These medications may include aspirin and ibuprofen.
• Steroid injections: Injecting steroids, such as cortisone, into the tendon can help to reduce swelling and break up scar tissue in the joints.
• Physical therapy: Physical therapists use special exercises to gently stretch and strengthen the tendon and surrounding muscle. These exercises restore the tendon's natural functioning and can prevent re-injury from tendonitis. 

Advanced Tendonitis Treatments

Advanced treatments for tendonitis include: 

• Platelet-rich plasma therapy: This new treatment uses your body’s own cells to jumpstart the tendonitis healing process. Platelet-rich plasma therapy works by extracting components of your blood known as platelets, which are part of the body’s natural healing process. The platelets are then injected into the injured area in concentrated form. 
• Dry needling: We dry needling, thin needles are gently inserted into the skin to help release tight bands of muscle and stiff tendons. These areas are called trigger points and cause pain over a large area. The needles help stimulate the trigger point so the muscles and tendons can relax. 
• Soft tissue massage: Your blood delivers fresh oxygen and nutrients and removes toxins, both of which help you heal. Gently massaging areas of tightness helps your muscles and tendons relax. 
• Surgery: In rare cases, inflamed tissue from tendonitis can be removed using a surgical procedure. If a tendon is completely torn, you may also need a procedure to repair it. 

How Long Does it Take for Tendonitis to Heal?

A mild case of tendonitis takes about 2-3 weeks to heal on average while chronic tendonitis takes about 6 weeks to heal completely.

How to Prevent Tendonitis

To prevent tendonitis, it's important to not take 

• Avoid repetitive motions: Repetitive motions, especially with poor technique, can lead to tendonitis
• Warm up prior to exercise: Warming up prior to exercising can help prevent tendonitis. Likewise, it is important to stretch after exercising
• Cross-train: If one type of exercise is irritating, use a combination of different exercises to prevent overuse. Combining cardio and strength training exercises allows for cross-training muscles.
• Rest: Give yourself time for your body to rest, especially if participating in repetitive exercise to prevent overuse

Tendonitis Care at Baptist Health: Our Approach

Our sports medicine program goes beyond relieving your aches and pains. We use a comprehensive approach to get to the root cause of your symptoms, so you can get the best treatments for your situation. 

Highlights of our program include: 

• Innovative treatments: We offer the best available treatments, including platelet-rich plasma therapy. This non-surgical treatment has helped professional golfers and football players return to the field without surgery. At Baptist Health, athletes of any skill level have access to this treatment. 
• Comprehensive evaluation: Our sports medicine experts ask a lot of questions and listen carefully as you describe your symptoms. We also offer a variety of imaging tests, including in-office ultrasound capabilities. 
• An understanding of your needs: We know that injuries are frustrating and that you are anxious to know how long you may be sidelined. Our team works quickly to give you an accurate diagnosis and sets realistic expectations for your recovery. We tailor treatments to help you plan for a safe return to sports based your unique needs. 

Our goal is to work with your body’s natural ability to heal itself. We carefully add in other treatments and help you gradually return to exercise only when it is safe to do so. Our mindful approach helps you make a full recovery so that you can enjoy your sport for many seasons to come.