All About Tendinitis

Have you ever heard of tennis elbow? Pitcher's shoulder? Jumper's knee? These are common terms for a condition caused by irritation of tendons, or tendinitis.

Some of the activities that can bring on tendinitis are raking, painting, gardening, carpentry, and sports such as skiing, golf, tennis, pitching, and basketball.

Tendons are the ropy cords of fiber that attach muscles to bone. When the tendons become overworked and strained, they can swell and cause pain around a joint. If the condition is not treated, tendons may even rupture, in which case surgical repair becomes necessary.

Symptoms

Tendinitis is usually signaled by swelling near a joint, with tenderness and a dull achy feeling. In persons whose activities cause them to repeat a motion often, tendinitis is often the culprit. The physician can normally diagnose tendinitis through simple physical examination and taking the patient's lifestyle into consideration. However, x-rays may be ordered to rule out other possible symptom causes.

It is more common to experience tendinitis over the age of forty; however, in others who repeat a motion daily, such as athletes, this condition can occur earlier in life. Risk will be higher in those who are often straining into awkward positions. It's in these situations the tendon is also more likely to rupture.

Preventing tendinitis

If an individual's occupation or hobbies put them at risk for tendinitis, there are techniques to employ in an effort to stave off its development. One method involves cross training in other sports or activities, so that other parts of the body receive some of the stress. Stretching prior to the activity can help relax the tendons. When embarking on a new activity, ease into it gently and try not to overly stress a joint too much all at once.

If you are starting to feel stress in an area of a joint, try to rest it. There may be professional trainers in your chosen activity who can provide you with techniques to keep your body from receiving excessive stress.

Treatment

A mild case of tendinitis may simply be treated with ice packs, rest, over the counter pain medication and anti-inflammatories. Elastic bandaging can be used to immobilize the joint area, and elevation may help.

Sometimes injections of corticosteroids may be appropriate, to reduce swelling and provide pain relief. However, these injections should not be overdone, because they can weaken the area and actually increase the possibility of a tendon rupture.

Physical therapy may assist in making affected tendon areas stronger, as well as in stretching them to make them more flexible.

Surgery is a last resort in tendinitis, usually only undertaken when tendons rupture or sustain serious injury.

While complications such as osteoarthritis may occur from tendinitis, most of the time careful treatment and pampering for a few days will temporarily heal tendinitis flare-up. Most importantly, remember that if you are involved in an occupation or hobby that makes you prone to this condition, you must learn techniques that will prevent further symptoms or rupture.

Sources:

http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/tendinitis/DS00153

http://www.webmd.com/osteoarthritis/guide/tennis-elbow

http://www.emedicinehealth.com/tendinitis/article_em.htm