Tendinitis (Print Version)

Also called: Also called: Tendonitis

Tendons are the tough cords of tissue that attach muscles to bones. They help your muscles move your bones. Tendinitis means inflammation of a tendon. It causes pain and tenderness near a joint. It usually occurs in the shoulders, elbows, knees, hips, heels or wrists. Depending on where it happens, it may have a special name, such as tennis elbow.

Injuries and overuse are common causes of tendinitis. Cross-training, stretching and decreasing your intensity when you exercise might help prevent tendinitis. Certain diseases, such as rheumatoid arthritis, also can cause it. You can usually treat tendinitis with rest, ice and medicine to relieve pain and decrease swelling. Other treatments include ultrasound, physical therapy, steroid injections and surgery.

Start Here

Questions and Answers about Bursitis and Tendinitis(National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases) - http://www.niams.nih.gov/Health_Info/Bursitis/default.asp
Tendonitis/Bursitis(American College of Rheumatology) - http://www.rheumatology.org/public/factsheets/diseases_and_conditions/tendonitis.asp?aud=pat

Overviews

Tendinitis(Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research) - http://www.mayoclinic.com/print/tendinitis/DS00153/DSECTION=all&METHOD=print

Treatment

Joint and Soft Tissue Injections(American Academy of Family Physicians) - http://familydoctor.org/online/famdocen/home/healthy/physical/injuries/774.printerview.html
Also available in Spanish http://familydoctor.org/online/famdoces/home/healthy/physical/injuries/774.printerview.html

Prevention/Screening

Taking Care of Your Hand, Wrist, and Elbow(American Physical Therapy Association) - http://www.apta.org/AM/Template.cfm?Section=Home&CONTENTID=20403&TEMPLATE=/CM/HTMLDisplay.cfm

Specific Conditions

Achilles Tendinitis(Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research) - http://www.mayoclinic.com/print/achilles-tendinitis/DS00737/DSECTION=all&METHOD=print
Biceps Tendinitis of the Shoulder(American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons) - http://orthoinfo.aaos.org/topic.cfm?topic=A00026&return_link=0
De Quervain's Tendinitis (De Quervain's Tendinosis)(American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons, American Association for Hand Surgery) - http://orthoinfo.aaos.org/topic.cfm?topic=A00007
Also available in Spanish http://orthoinfo.aaos.org/topic.cfm?topic=A00461
Golfer's Elbow(Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research) - http://www.mayoclinic.com/print/golfers-elbow/DS00713/DSECTION=all&METHOD=print
Impingement of the Shoulder(American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons) - http://orthoinfo.aaos.org/topic.cfm?topic=A00032
Patellar Tendinitis(Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research) - http://www.mayoclinic.com/print/patellar-tendinitis/DS00625/DSECTION=all&METHOD=print
Posterior Tibial Tendon Dysfunction (PTTD)(American College of Foot and Ankle Surgeons) - http://www.footphysicians.com/footankleinfo/pttd.htm
Also available in Spanish http://www.footphysicians.com/espanol/disfuncion-del-tendon-tibial-posterior.htm
Tennis Elbow(Patient Education Institute) - Requires Flash Player - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/tutorials/tenniselbow/htm/index.htm
Also available in Spanish http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/spanish/tutorials/tenniselbowspanish/htm/index.htm
Tennis Elbow (Lateral Epicondylitis)(American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons) - http://orthoinfo.aaos.org/topic.cfm?topic=A00068
Trigger Finger(American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons) - http://orthoinfo.aaos.org/topic.cfm?topic=A00024&return_link=0
Also available in Spanish http://orthoinfo.aaos.org/topic.cfm?topic=A00464

Related Issues

Questions and Answers about Knee Problems(National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases) - http://www.niams.nih.gov/Health_Info/Knee_Problems/default.asp
Questions and Answers about Shoulder Problems(National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases) - http://www.niams.nih.gov/Health_Info/Shoulder_Problems/default.asp
Stronger Warnings Requested for Fluoroquinolones(Food and Drug Administration) - http://www.fda.gov/consumer/updates/fluoroquinolone070908.html
What Are Knee Problems?(National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases) - http://www.niams.nih.gov/Health_Info/Knee_Problems/knee_problems_ff.asp
Also available in Spanish http://www.niams.nih.gov/Portal_En_Espanol/Informacion_de_Salud/Problemas_de_rodillas/default.asp

Tutorials

Tennis Elbow(Patient Education Institute) - Requires Flash Player - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/tutorials/tenniselbow/htm/index.htm
Also available in Spanish http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/spanish/tutorials/tenniselbowspanish/htm/index.htm

Clinical Trials

ClinicalTrials.gov: Tendinitis(National Institutes of Health) - http://clinicaltrials.gov/search/open/condition=%22Tendinitis%22
ClinicalTrials.gov: Tendinopathy(National Institutes of Health) - http://clinicaltrials.gov/search/open/condition=%22Tendinopathy%22

Journal Articles

References and abstracts from MEDLINE/PubMed (National Library of Medicine)

Article: Calcific retropharyngeal tendinitis: unusual cause of acute neck pain with... - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez?cmd=Retrieve&db=pubmed&dopt=AbstractPlus&list_uids=18765656&tool=MedlinePlus
Article: Color Doppler ultrasound findings in patellar tendinopathy (jumper's knee). - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez?cmd=Retrieve&db=pubmed&dopt=AbstractPlus&list_uids=18753682&tool=MedlinePlus
Article: High-resolution ultrasound in the diagnosis of upper limb disorders: a... - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez?cmd=Retrieve&db=pubmed&dopt=AbstractPlus&list_uids=18724124&tool=MedlinePlus
Tendinitis -- see more articles - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez?cmd=search&db=pubmed&term=tendinopathy[majr]+AND+english[la]+AND+humans[mh]+NOT+(letter[pt]+OR+editorial[pt])&doptcmdl=summary&cmd_current=Limits&pmfilter_EDatLimit=last+1+Year&tool=MedlinePlus

Dictionaries/Glossaries

Glossary of Orthopaedic Words(American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons) - http://orthoinfo.aaos.org/glossary.cfm

Directories

American College of Rheumatology: Geographic Membership Directory(American College of Rheumatology) - http://www.rheumatology.org/directory/geo.asp
Find an Orthopaedist(American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons) - http://www6.aaos.org/about/public/members.cfm

Organizations

American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons - http://www.aaos.org/
American College of Rheumatology - http://www.rheumatology.org/
National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases - http://www.niams.nih.gov/
Also available in Spanish http://www.niams.nih.gov/Portal_En_Espanol/

You may also be interested in these MedlinePlus related pages:

Muscle Disorders - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/muscledisorders.html
Bones, Joints and Muscles - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/bonesjointsandmuscles.html

The primary NIH organization for research on Tendinitis is the National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases - http://www.niams.nih.gov/