Tendonitis refers to inflammation or damage to tendons, tissues essential for communicating muscles and bones to each other. We present the most common types.
The locomotor system of the human being is composed of 206 bones, more than 650 voluntary muscles, 360 joints and hundreds of tendons. All of them, with millimeter accuracy, allow postural maintenance and the development of movement in all three dimensions. Unfortunately, sometimes some of these structures fail, either by mechanical stressors or diseases of an autoimmune nature, among other causes.
The World Health Organization estimates that, in the world, there are 1,710 million people with some type of musculoskeletal disorder. Low back pain is the most common pathology within this field (568 million patients), as it is the leading cause of disability worldwide. However, beyond back pain, there are muscle tears, bone fractures, joint pain and tendinopathies that can affect individual gait and productivity. Today we tell you the 5 most common types of tendinitis and their characteristics.
- We recommend you read: “Tendinitis: causes, symptoms and treatment”
What is tendinitis and what are its types?
In the general literature, tendinitis, tendinopathy, and tendinosis are interchangeable terms. All three refer totendon disorders that cause pain, inflammation, and reduced functionalitytag. People who do manual labor for a living and professional athletes are most at risk for this group of conditions, as they often occur from repetitive motion, excessive loading, and rough work without prior conditioning.
Although the causes of tendinitis are known, the anatomopathological mechanism of its appearance is not at all clear. There are several models that try to explain sporadic tendon damage, but there is still no universal agreement. For example, it is believed that when a tendon is damaged, inflammatory responses are produced that induce the release of cytokines, which would inhibit the synthesis of type I collagen. This, over time, would cause the extracellular matrix of the tendons to degrade. .
Even so, this could explain only a fraction of the damage to the tendon during tendinopathy. This tissue stress is also attributed to traction overload, load-induced ischemia, thermal damage, and adaptive compressive responsestag. Once these foundations are laid, we present the 5 most common types of tendonitis in general society. Don’t miss them.
1. Epicondylitis
Epicondylitis, also known as “tennis elbow”, is a pain resulting from mechanical stress on the epicondyle, a bony eminence located on the humerustag. In other words, it is a tendonitis of the extensor muscles of the forearm or, alternatively, a localized manifestation of a diffuse and chronic disorder known as “fibromyalgia”.
According to epidemiological studies, the annual incidence of epicondylitis in the general population is between 1 and 3%. In any case, 11% of patients with this condition are professionals who require repetitive movements with contractions of the elbow muscles in their work gesture. The average age of presentation is between 40 and 50 years and it is estimated that up to 50% of professional tennis players will present at least one episode of epicondylitis during their sports career.
Although over-the-counter pain relievers can be used to reduce pain, long-term treatment of epicondylitis relies on the use of so-called epicondylitis straps, devices that wrap around the affected muscle and allow the tendon to heal. If the condition does not improve, plasma injections into the affected tendon are used, andif this also fails within 12 months, surgery is required .
2. Epitrocleitis
On the other side of the coin we have epitrochleitis, known as golfer’s elbow, in which Tendonitis occurs at the insertion of the epitrochlear musclestag. In any case, this clinical entity is currently considered more of an epicondylopathy than a tendinitis in itself. The condition is thought to stem from failed repair of the tendon once damage has occurred, rather than from the previously described inflammatory effects.
Although it is a common tendinitis, its incidence is 10 to 5 times lower than that of epicondylitis. It is usually treated with neuromuscular bandages, immobilizers (orthoses), cryotherapy in some cases and postural education, so that the patient does not repeat the mistakes that have led to the development of the condition.
3. Plantar fasciitis
As its name suggests, plantar fasciitis inflames the fascia of the sole of the foot, a thick band that connects the calcaneus to the fingers and creates the plantar arch. It is the most common cause of heel pain, accounting for 80% of primary clinic visits for this symptom. This makes it the most common non-traumatic foot pain condition in the world.
Repetitive stretching and tearing (often in the form of walking and jogging during demanding sports activities) can irritate and inflame the fascia, although the pathophysiological mechanism of the pain is still not entirely clear. It is usually treated with physical therapy, splints, over-the-counter pain relievers and other processes common to almost all tendinopathies. If nothing works in a year of approach, surgery is resorted to.
4. Achilles tendinitis
This type of tendinitis arises as an overload injury to the Achilles tendontag. It occurs, above all, in runners who increase their speed and distance without prior preparation or too abruptly. It manifests itself in the form of sudden and intense pain in the back of the leg when making sudden efforts or load-bearing movements, such as climbing stairs or jumping. If a complete tear of the tendon occurs, the symptoms become much more evident.
As in the previous cases, the first treatments for Achilles tendonitis are ice, pain relievers, over-the-counter nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), heel elevation, and rest. If the tendon tear is complete, tissue repair is usually performed in the surgical setting.
5. Patella tendinitis
In this case, injury and subsequent inflammation occurs in the tendon that connects the patella to the tibiatag. When damage occurs to this tissue conglomerate, one of the first signs is loss of support in the area of the patella. At first it manifests itself in the form of pain, but if you continue to engage in physically demanding activities, it evolves into clear tissue damage that can be much more difficult to repair.
Weakness in the leg, increased temperature in the affected area and pain when flexing the knee (in the quadriceps area) are the most common signs of this tendonitis. It is treated with ice, rest, elevation of the leg, compression, and physical therapy. Eccentric exercises after injury report improvement in up to 70%% of patients.
Summary
As you may have seen, it is easy to detect why tendonitis occurs, but not so much to explain the pathological mechanism that leads to inflammation and tissue damage (to a greater or lesser extent). Althoughalmost all cases are usually resolved with rest, ice, anti-inflammatories and cessation of conflicting physical activity, sometimes this is not enough. Corticosteroid and plasma injections are the next step, second only to surgery, in cases that do not improve within 6 to 12 months.
If you notice that any area of your body hurts after exercising, we encourage you to go to the doctor quickly and do not let the picture evolve. Musculoarticular pain can be mild or diffuse, but as more and more efforts are made, it is more and more likely to end in a tear or rupture.
To the classic question “what do you do?” I always answer “basically I am a psychologist”. In fact, my academic training has revolved around the psychology of development, education and community, a field of study influenced my volunteer activities, as well as my first work experiences in personal services.
