Tendonitis

Tendons are a type of connective tissue within your body that are strong and flexible and connect your muscles to bones. Tendons are important structures that work with muscles to enable you to perform and execute movements such as walking and jumping. Tendonitis occurs when there is inflammation of the tendon and is usually caused by overuse or injury. The most common types of tendonitis affect joints within the wrist, hand, Achilles, knee or elbow.      

Causes  

Some common causes of tendonitis include:

• Overuse of the tendons by repetitive movements,
• Participating in sports that include high impact jumping and running movements,  
• Calcium deposits accumulating along the tendon,  
• Lifting weights without warming up sufficiently or that are too heavy,  
• Not allowing enough recovery time between exercise training sessions,  
• Carrying extra weight which puts pressure on tendons of the lower limbs.

Symptoms  

Symptoms of tendonitis can include:  

• Swelling and inflammation of the joint,
• Pain and stiffness of the joint,  
• Muscle weakness surrounding the joint, and  
• Skin may feel hot in temperature over the affected area.  

Management  

When experiencing tendonitis self-care options include:

• Rest the area by ceasing exercise to allow time for recovery,  
• Make sure to continue on with usual daily tasks as full immobilization of the joint can aggravate the injury,  
• Regularly apply ice packs to the affected area to reduce swelling and inflammation.  
• Weight loss if necessary to prevent excess weight on the tendons,  
• Strengthening and/or stretching  exercises,  
• Using slings, pads or splints to help restrict movement of the joint,  
• In severe cases, surgery may be needed to repair the affected tendon.  

Disclaimer  

The content displayed on this webpage is intended for informational purposes and is a guide only. It does not replace or substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Information contained on this webpage must be discussed with an appropriate healthcare professional before making any decisions or taking any action based on the content of this webpage.  

Sources  

Better Health Channel http://www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au/bhcv2/bhcarticles.nsf/pages/Tendonitis  

About Health http://orthopedics.about.com/cs/sportsmedicine/a/tendonitis.htm