In order to understand tendonitis you need to understand what a tendon is. Tendons are the flexible, fibrous bands of tissue that connect muscles to bones. If one of the tendons become inflamed, irritated or suffers from a tear, the condition is called tendonitis. Tendons are different sizes. The ones in the hands are tiny bands but in the calf or thigh muscles they are large. In most cases the cause of tendonitis is unknown. But the cause may be overuse (a body motion being repeated too often) or overload (the level of a certain activity, such as lifting weights, is increased to quickly).

On rare occasions tendonitis may be caused by an infection. The most common areas for tendonitis to occur are the shoulder, elbow, knee, wrist and heel. However, it can occur anywhere that tendons are found in the body.

The reasons are uncertain but tendonitis is common in people who suffer from diabetes. While it is not clear why it has been found out in recent years that tendonitis may occur when someone is on certain antibiotics. Please note it is rare for this to happen but sometimes a person on some antibiotics may have tendons to rupture. Why this happens is still unknown.

Tendonitis in the shoulder – The most common form of tendonitis in the shoulder is rotator cuff tendonitis. It involves the tendon of the supraspinatus muscle, which attaches to the upper portion of the upper arm bone (humerus) at the shoulder joint. Less commonly, the tendon of the infraspinatus muscle or other tendons of the rotator cuff is affected. In most cases, the supraspinatus tendon is injured by overuse, typically in an occupation or sport that requires the arm to be elevated repeatedly.

Lateral epicondylitis (tennis elbow) causes pain on the outer side of the elbow joint. This condition affects many adult athletes who play racquet sports. It also can be caused by any activity that repeatedly twists and flexes the wrist, such as pulling weeds, using a screwdriver or even carrying a briefcase.Tendonitis in the elbow – Two forms of tendonitis commonly involve the elbow: lateral epicondylitis and medial epicondylitis. Both are very common overuse injuries among athletes involved in throwing and racquet sports.

Tendonitis in the knee – Jumper’s knee, the most common form of knee tendonitis, involves either the patellar tendon at the lower edge of the kneecap or the quadriceps tendon at the upper edge of the kneecap. It is a common overuse injury, especially in basketball players and distance runners.Medial epicondylitis (golfer’s elbow) causes pain on the inner side of the elbow. It is a less common injury than tennis elbow and, despite its name, it is more likely to be related an occupation that requires repeated elbow movements (such as construction work) than to sports. When it does occur as a sports injury, medial epicondylitis can be triggered by repeatedly swinging a golf club or throwing a baseball.

Tendonitis in the wrist – In the wrist, tendonitis commonly appears in the form of de Quervain’s disease, a condition that causes pain in the back of the wrist at the base of the thumb.

Achilles tendonitis – This form of tendonitis affects the Achilles tendon, the large ropelike tendon attached to the heel bone at the back of the foot. Achilles tendonitis usually is caused by overuse, especially in sports that require running or repeated jumping. Achilles tendonitis also may be related to faulty running technique or to poorly fitting shoes, if the back of the shoe digs into the Achilles tendon above the heel.

If you feel you are suffering from tendonitis the good news is you can get the help you need at Outpatient Services East. Call them today. The health professionals there can tell you what needs to be done to ease your pain and correct the problems that have causes your tendonitis.

Do not suffer any longer. Give them a call today, 205-838-3888