The tendons
are the tough, white, very slightly elastic
cords that attach muscles to bones and transmit
the pull of muscles to bones, causing them
to move. Each tendon is covered with a protective
and lubricating sheath called a synovial
sheath.
Tendonitis
is inflammation of a tendon, of the lining
of its sheath, and of its attachment to
muscle.
In many cases
the sheath is much more affected by inflammation
than the tendon is. This is called tenosynovitis.
Calcific
tendonitis is an inflammatory disorder of
the cuff of tendons around the shoulder
joint, involving the build-up of calcium
(calcification). This occurs most commonly
close to the attachment of the muscle tendon
onto the larger bony protrusion of the upper
arm bone (humerus).
Symptoms
Symptoms
vary with the tendon affected and with the
cause and severity of the inflammation.
They may include:
- Local
pain, made worse by attempts at movement
- A sensation
that the tendon is grating when it moves
- this can often be felt on examination
- Swelling,
heat or redness
- Minimal
bruising
- Sometimes
a visible lump in the line of the tendon
- Loss of
the movement caused by the pull of the
tendon concerned
- A change
in the normal posture of the part moved
by the tendon, caused by the action of
the opposing muscle
- A distinct
gap in the line of the tendon
Causes
Tendonitis
is most commonly caused by injury or overuse.
The condition may be caused by an actual
tear in the tendon.
Treatment
Treatment
includes non-steroidal anti-inflammatory
drugs (NSAIDs; eg Ibuprofen), other pain-killing
drugs (analgesics), local heat and sometimes
injections of a corticosteroid around the
affected tendon. Recovery from tendonitis
can often be speeded up by using ultrasound.
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Tendonitis
