Tendons are fibrous bands of tissue connecting your muscles to your bones. They help all sorts of movements, including walking, grabbing objects, bending your elbow, and any other activity that uses muscles and bones. The Achilles tendon that stretches from your calf muscle to your heel might be the most “well-known” tendon, but it’s just one of about 1,300 tendons located throughout your body. While healthy tendons “work” behind the scenes, helping all sorts of movements, sometimes a tendon can become irritated or inflamed. This condition is called tendonitis, and although it’s common, proper tendonitis treatment requires prompt medical care to soothe symptoms, restore pain-free movement, and prevent more serious damage from occurring.
Tendonitis: Causes and Symptoms
Tendonitis is usually caused by overuse or overload of a tendon. Overuse occurs when a movement is repeated over and over again, causing strain on the tendon. Overload happens when an activity level is increased and the tendon becomes “overloaded” as a result. Less commonly, tendonitis may be related to an underlying infection or medical condition like diabetes or rheumatoid arthritis. Like many other conditions, tendonitis usually becomes more common with age.
Typically, tendonitis affects the larger tendons, like those in the knee, wrist, heel, elbow and shoulder, but any tendon can be affected. Although the condition is commonly associated with many athletic activities (ever heard of tennis elbow?), many non-athletic activities can also cause or contribute to tendonitis.
The most common symptom of tendonitis is pain at and around the affected tendon. Pain is usually worse with motion, and often, movement is restricted as a result. As inflammation gets worse you may experience a “sticking” sensation when moving the tendon. This condition is called crepitus, and it occurs when the injured tendon rubs against the area that surrounds it.
Tendonitis Treatment Options
For mild tendonitis, the first line of treatment usually includes rest, ice, and over the counter anti-inflammatory medicines like ibuprofen. If these options don’t provide relief, corticosteroid injections and physical therapy may be helpful in reducing symptoms. Splinting is often used to protect the area and restrict movement during healing. In more severe cases surgery may be recommended to remove built-up scar tissue or calcium deposits in the area. Surgery is usually followed by physical therapy to restore function and to build up strength in the tendon and muscle. This is done to help prevent tendonitis from recurring.
Although most tendonitis cases can be treated without surgery, that doesn’t mean it should be ignored. Tendonitis can be a stubborn condition that takes awhile to heal. Using the tendon and muscle too soon after an injury or delaying proper medical care can result in incomplete healing of the tendon, along with a recurrence of symptoms, permanent tendon damage and loss of function and movement in the area.
Find out more about tendonitis treatment.
Tendonitis might seem like a simple medical issue, but without proper treatment by a skilled orthopedic specialist, tendon injuries can cause long-term damage and loss of mobility. Getting care early is essential not only for eliminating symptoms of tendonitis, but also for restoring normal function and preventing further damage. To learn more about tendonitis treatment options, call Franklin Orthopaedics & Sports Medicine at (615) 771-1116 and schedule an office visit today!
