Understanding Tendinitis - the Basics

What Is Tendinitis?

Tendinitis is an inflammation in or around a tendon, which is a band of fibrous tissue that connects muscle to bone and transmits the force the muscle exerts.  Tendons are designed to withstand bending, stretching, and twisting, but they can become inflamed because of overuse, disease, or injuries that leave them with torn fibers or other damage. Tendinitis around the heel is known as Achilles tendinitis, and on the outside of an elbow it's called tennis elbow.

The pain can be significant and worsens if damage progresses because of continued use of the joint.  Most tendinitis heals in about 2 weeks, but chronic tendinitis can take more than 6 weeks, often because the sufferer doesn't give the tendon time to heal.  In chronic cases, you may have locking of the joint in one position due to scarring or narrowing of the sheath of tissue that surrounds the tendon. Diseases such as diabetes, arthritis, and gout can slow healing.

What Causes Tendinitis?

Tendons can become inflamed when overstressed from any activity.  Weekend athletes, who exercise sporadically rather than regularly, are often laid low by sore tendons.  But by far the most common cause is repetitive stress -- using the same joints for the same stressful movements again and again.  This happens not only in sports but also in many types of office work and other situations.  Tendons are also more likely to become inflamed with increasing age since muscles and tendons tend to lose their elasticity over time.