On this page

Basics

• Summary
• Start Here
• Diagnosis and Tests
• Treatments and Therapies

Learn More

• Specifics

See, Play and Learn

• No links available

Research

• Clinical Trials
• Journal Articles

Resources

• Find an Expert

For You

• Children
• Teenagers
• Patient Handouts

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.

Start Here

• 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)

• Article: The impact of acromial morphology on the localization and size of...
• Article: An Exercise-Based Precision Medicine Tool and Smartphone App for Managing Achilles...
• Article: Advancements in Therapeutic Approaches for Degenerative Tendinopathy: Evaluating Efficacy and Challenges.
• Tendinitis -- see more articles

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