You have tendons all over your body, and these tough tissues — which connect muscle to bone — are all at risk of getting injured. However, tendonitis is usually more common in certain areas and often develops from repetitive stress. In fact, several forms of tendonitis have names derived from activities that can cause the condition, such as:
At Orthopaedic Care Specialists in North Palm Beach, Florida, Thomas F. Saylor, MD, specializes in treating musculoskeletal conditions, including tendonitis. Here are a few signs your pain could be due to tendonitis.
Tendonitis causes pain, tenderness, and mild swelling in the area where a tendon attaches to a bone. These symptoms can develop slowly or come on suddenly and severely, and they can occur anywhere. However, the most common places to experience tendonitis include:
You can develop tendonitis in any of these joints from a traumatic injury. Still, they’re usually the result of overuse from jobs, hobbies, or sports activities — basically, anything that can overload the tendon. Even routine tasks can trigger tendonitis, such as gardening, raking, painting, or scrubbing.
Another clue that your joint pain or tenderness is due to tendonitis involves risk factors. While anyone can develop this condition, it’s most common after reaching age 40, because tendons can lose their flexibility with age, leaving them susceptible to injury.
Other factors that can increase your chances of developing tendonitis include:
Living with other diseases — such as rheumatoid arthritis, gout or pseudogout, or blood or kidney diseases — can also increase your chances of developing tendonitis.
Dr. Saylor can diagnose tendonitis by performing a physical exam. In some cases, he may order additional screenings to rule out other underlying conditions.
After reaching a diagnosis, Dr. Saylor outlines a personalized treatment strategy designed to relieve your pain and inflammation as quickly as possible.
Standard therapies for tendonitis include:
However, for severe cases of tendonitis, Dr. Saylor could recommend minimally invasive surgery to repair tendon and muscle damage.
If you have tendonitis and want treatment, or if you want to see if you have tendonitis, book an appointment online or over the phone with Orthopaedic Care Specialists today.
