Tendinitis

Also called: Tendonitis

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Basics

Summary
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Diagnosis and Tests
Treatments and Therapies

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Specifics

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Summary

Tendons are flexible bands of tissue that connect muscles to bones. They help your muscles move your bones. Tendinitis is the severe swelling of a tendon.

Tendinitis usually happens after repeated injury to an area such as the wrist or ankle. It causes pain and soreness around a joint. Some common forms of tendinitis are named after the sports that increase their risk. They include tennis elbow, golfer's elbow, pitcher's shoulder, swimmer's shoulder, and jumper's knee.

Doctors diagnose tendinitis with your medical history, a physical exam, and imaging tests. The first step in treatment is to reduce pain and swelling. Rest, wrapping or elevating the affected area, and medicines can help. Ice is helpful for recent, severe injuries. Other treatments include ultrasound, physical therapy, steroid injections, and surgery.

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Tendinitis (Bursitis) (American College of Rheumatology) Also in Spanish

Diagnosis and Tests

Musculoskeletal MRI (American College of Radiology; Radiological Society of North America) Also in Spanish
Musculoskeletal Ultrasound (American College of Radiology; Radiological Society of North America) Also in Spanish

Treatments and Therapies

Joint and Soft Tissue Injections (American Academy of Family Physicians) Also in Spanish
Joint Injections (Joint Aspirations) (American College of Rheumatology) Also in Spanish
Tendinitis Pain: Should I Apply Ice or Heat? (Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research) Also in Spanish

Specifics

Achilles Tendinitis (American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons)
De Quervain's Tendinosis (American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons)
De Quervain's Tenosynovitis (American Academy of Family Physicians) Also in Spanish
Peroneal Tendinosis (American Orthopaedic Foot and Ankle Society)
Posterior Tibial Tendon Dysfunction (PTTD) (American College of Foot and Ankle Surgeons) Also in Spanish
Shoulder Impingement/Rotator Cuff Tendinitis (American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons)
Tennis Elbow (Lateral Epicondylitis) (American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons)
Trigger Finger (American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons) Also in Spanish

Clinical Trials

ClinicalTrials.gov: Tendinitis (National Institutes of Health)
ClinicalTrials.gov: Tendinopathy (National Institutes of Health)

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

Find an Expert

Find a Rheumatologist (American College of Rheumatology)
National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases Also in Spanish

Children

Jumper's Knee (Patellar Tendonitis) (For Parents) (Nemours Foundation) Also in Spanish

Teenagers

Achilles Tendonitis (Nemours Foundation) Also in Spanish
Jumper's Knee (Nemours Foundation) Also in Spanish
Proximal Biceps Tendonitis (Nemours Foundation) Also in Spanish

Patient Handouts

Achilles tendinitis (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish
De Quervain tendinitis (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish
Rotator cuff problems (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish
Tendinitis (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish
Tennis elbow (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish
Tenosynovitis (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish

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MEDICAL ENCYCLOPEDIA

National Institutes of Health

The primary NIH organization for research on Tendinitis is the National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases

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