Tendinitis is inflammation of the tendons, the tissue that connects muscles and bones. This condition can occur in tendons anywhere in the body, although it usually occurs in tendons in the shoulders, elbows, knees, ankles, or heels.
When inflamed, the tendon will hurt when the muscle is moved, which can interfere with muscle movement. Tendinitis can be short-term (acute) or long-term (chronic).
Causes of Tendinitis
Tendinitis is generally caused by repetitive movements, such as jumping movements that are often done by basketball athletes or swinging hands that are often done by tennis athletes. However, in certain cases, tendinitis can also occur due to injury from lifting heavy weights.
Tendinitis risk factors
Tendinitis can happen to anyone. However, there are several factors that can increase a person's risk of developing tendinitis, including:
- Have a job that involves repetitive motion, such as an athlete, farmer, or construction worker
- Have a history of diseases that affect the bones and joints, such as:rheumatoid arthritisor gout
- Over 40 years old
- Being overweight or obese
- Do not warm up before doing sports
- Taking drugs that can damage the tendons, such as levofloxacin or ciprofloxacin
Types of Tendinitis
Based on the location and cause, tendinitis can be divided into several types, namely:
- Lateral epicondylitisThis tendinitis occurs in the tendons on the outside of the elbow. Laepicondylitis or what is known as tennis elbow generally occurs due to activities that involve repetitive wrist twisting, such as tennis and badminton.
- Medial epicondylitis
This tendinitis occurs in the tendons on the inside of the elbow. This type generally occurs due to repetitive elbow movements, such as those in golf and baseball.
- Achilles tendinitis
Achilles tendinitis It occurs in the Achilles tendon, which is the large tendon at the back of the ankle. Generally, this type of tendinitis occurs as a result of repetitive running and jumping activities, such as when playing basketball.
- Rotator cuff tendinitisTendinitis occurs in the tendons rotator cuff, namely the muscles that control the rotation of the shoulder. This type generally occurs due to repetitive arm lifting movements, such as those performed by swimmers.
- De Quervain tendinitisThis tendinitis occurs in the wrist tendons, precisely at the base of the thumb, which generally occurs due to repetitive grasping or pinching movements, such as those done by tennis and rock climbing athletes. This type can also occur in women during pregnancy without a known cause.
- Knee tendinitis
Knee tendinitis occurs in tendons patellar located below the knee or on the tendon quadriceps which is above the knee. This type generally occurs due to jumping or running movements, such as those made by basketball athletes or long distance runners.
Symptoms of Tendinitis
Tendinitis is characterized by the appearance of pain in the inflamed tendon. This pain usually gets worse when the muscles in the inflamed tendon area are moved, for example when jumping, running, or twisting the wrist.
The pain can also be accompanied by other symptoms, such as swelling of the affected tendon area, a warm sensation, redness, and muscle stiffness.
When to go to the doctor
In most cases, the symptoms of tendinitis will subside on their own. However, do check with your doctor if you experience symptoms that don't improve within a few weeks or if the pain gets worse after being given self-care at home.
Tendinitis Diagnosis
To diagnose tendinitis, the doctor will ask questions about the patient's symptoms, medical history, the presence or absence of activities that involve repetitive movements, and medications that the patient is currently taking.
Next, the doctor will perform a physical examination, especially in the area of inflammation of the tendon.
Tendinitis can generally be diagnosed only by physical examination. However, if needed, the doctor will perform a series of investigations, such as ultrasound, X-ray, or MRI, to look for possible tears or thickening of the tendon or joint dislocation.
Tendinitis Treatment
Treatment of tendinitis aims to relieve symptoms and reduce inflammation. The following are some of the treatment methods that can be given to tendinitis patients:
Drugs
Doctors can give nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) or corticosteroid injections to relieve pain and inflammation. Corticosteroids are generally not recommended for tendinitis that has been present for more than 3 months because of the risk of weakening the tendon or tearing the tendon.
Physiotherapy
After the symptoms have subsided, physiotherapy can be done to strengthen the inflamed tendon. This will restore the function of movement that is reduced due to tendinitis. The types of actions and exercises performed in therapy are adjusted to the patient's condition.
Medical treatment
The following medical actions can be performed by a doctor if medication or physiotherapy does not help the condition get better:
- Therapy ultrasound, using exposure to ultrasonic sound waves to remove tendon scar tissue
- Dry needling, using a special needle to stimulate the healing process of the tendon
- Surgery, to treat severe tendinitis conditions, such as the tendon has detached from the bone
Self care
To help the healing process, people with tendinitis can do the following:
- Rest the inflamed tendon. Try not to do activities that put a lot of pressure on the area.
- Cold compresses on the tendinitis area for 20 minutes several times a day.
- Provide a cushion or material that can support the tendinitis area while sleeping, for example with a pile of pillows.
Complications of Tendinitis
Tendinitis that is not treated properly can increase the risk of tendon tears. If the tendon is torn, it will need to be treated with surgery.
In addition, if the inflammation of the tendon lasts for several weeks or months, the patient may develop tendinosis. This condition causes chronic damage to the tendons and is followed by the formation of abnormal blood vessels.
Tendinitis Prevention
Tendinitis is a preventable condition. Some of the efforts you can take to prevent this condition are:
- Avoid activities that put too much stress on the tendons, especially if they are done continuously
- Doing other sports, if the usual exercise causes pain
- Follow the advice of a professional sports instructor so that the movements performed do not cause problems with the tendons
- Stretch before and after exercise to maximize joint movement and reduce the risk of injury
- Adjusting the correct sitting position, such as keeping your back straight while sitting