What conditions and disorders can affect tendons?
Because tendons connect every muscle in your body, a wide range of injuries and disorders can cause tendon problems. Tendon issues are more common with age. As people get older, tendons become thinner, have less blood flow and accumulate microscopic damage to fibers that weaken the tendon.
Most commonly, disorders that affect the tendons include:
Strains: Strains occur when you tear, twist or pull a tendon. Tendon strains often happen in your arms and legs.
Tendonitis: Tendonitis results when your tendons become inflamed, usually due to repetitive activities, overuse or aging. Tendonitis (also called tendinitis) often occurs in your Achilles tendon, elbow, hip, knee, shoulder or thumb. The most common types of tendonitis include:
- Patellar tendonitis: Patellar tendonitis happens when you injure the tendon that connects your kneecap (patella) to your shinbone (tibia). This condition usually results from overuse.
- Rotator cuff tendonitis: Rotator cuff tendonitis occurs when shoulder muscles become inflamed. This condition can be due to repetitive activities or injury.
- Tennis elbow (lateral epicondylitis): Tennis elbow results when you microscopically tear the tendons around the outside of your elbow. Overuse of your forearm muscles can cause tennis elbow.
Tenosynovitis: Tenosynovitis occurs when tendinitis combines with inflammation of the tendon sheath. This commonly occurs in the hand and feet. Two common types are:
- DeQuervain’s tenosynovitis: DeQuervain’s tenosynovitis causes swelling in the thumb tendons. It can result from overuse, repetitive grasping or inflammatory conditions, such as arthritis.
- Trigger finger or trigger thumb: Trigger finger or trigger thumb occurs when your finger or thumb becomes stuck in a bent position. Inflamed and irritated tendons cause this condition.
Other tendon disorders include:
- Biceps tendon injuries: Biceps tendon injuries occur due to microtears in the tendon. They can occur in the shoulder or elbow due to repetitive motion or injury.
- Posterior tibial tendon dysfunction: The posterior tibial tendon supports your foot when you walk. It can tear or become inflamed due to injury or overuse. This tendon connects your calf muscle to the bones on the inside of your foot.
- Rotator cuff tears: Rotator cuff tears happen when your shoulder tendons partially of fully detach from the upper part of your arm bone (humerus). These tears may be due to injury or overuse.
- Tendinosis: Tendinosis, a chronic condition, occurs when collagen in your tendons has accumulated many torn fibers within the tendon which weakens the tendon thus deteriorates the tendon structure. Tendon overuse causes tendinosis. It most commonly happens in the elbow, heel, knee, shoulder or wrist.
What tests can check the health of your tendons?
Your healthcare provider will first do a physical examination. The key components are evaluating the joints connected by tendon, palpation of tendon for pain or defects, evaluating the tendons flexibility, and manual strength test. They may ask you to move the joints near your injured or inflamed tendon. You may experience pain when your provider moves or presses your tendon. Your tendon may also be swollen or warm. Your provider will also test your range of motion around your area of pain. Sometimes the areas around your joints may also feel stiff or weak.
Your healthcare provider may also use tests including:
How are tendon problems treated?
Healthcare providers treat tendon problems in different ways, depending on the condition:
- Strains: Rest, ice, compression and elevation (RICE), followed by exercises, can offer relief. Strains rarely need surgery.
- Tears: Rest, anti-inflammatory medications ease discomfort as a tendon tear heals. You may need surgery to repair a tear.
- Tendinitis: Tendinitis can improve with rest, ice or heat, anti-inflammatory medications, splints and exercise. The condition sometimes requires surgery, followed by physical therapy.
- Tendinosis: Providers may advise rest, ice or heat, braces, exercise and physical therapy. You should avoid anti-inflammatory medications or steroid injections, which can slow down collagen repair.
- Tenosynovitis: Rest, splints and anti-inflammatory medications can treat tenosynovitis, but some people need surgery.
