Overview

Tendonitis Assistance

Tendonitis is a common source of joint pain which can make daily living difficult and even painful. Whether it’s your shoulder, elbow, hip, or anywhere else, the expert team of orthopedists and surgeons at Gardner Orthopedics in Fort Myers, Florida, combine their training and experience to accurately diagnose and effectively treat your tendonitis. To find out how Gardner Orthopedics can help relieve your joint pain and get you back to your normal routine, make an appointment by calling or booking online today.

Tendonitis Q & A

Tendonitis, also known as tendinitis, is the inflammation of a tendon. Tendons connect muscles to bone. These rope-like tissues bear much of the stress associated with all movement, and their injury can significantly disrupt your comfort and daily living.

Tendonitis often causes pain in the tissues surrounding the affected tendon. It may be red, swollen, tender, and warm to touch. This pain is either initiated or worsened by movement of the inflamed area, and symptoms vary according to tendon location.

In the shoulder, a dull aching pain resulting from inflammation of the rotator cuff tendons may extend from the upper arm to the chest. At the elbow, pain may localize to the outer side of the joint (tennis elbow) or the inner side of the joint (golfer’s elbow). At the knee, pain is usually below the kneecap but can appear above it. At the wrist, pain develops at the back of the wrist and base of the thumb (de Quervain’s disease).

Inflammation, irritation and microscopic tears contribute to tendonitis. Often, the condition results from either overuse or overload. Overuse is the repetition of a particular motion too frequently, while overload is the performance of a specific movement with extreme intensity.

It’s more common with age but can also result from calcium deposits within the affected area.  Though it can happen to anyone at any joint, recreational and professional athletes who run, golf, play tennis, basketball or baseball are especially vulnerable.

The first treatment for tendonitis is the RICE protocol: rest, ice, compression, elevation. For recurring conditions, treatment may involve:

  • Physical therapy
  • Immobilization with splints, slings, braces, or crutches
  • Heat packs, warm water soaks, and skin balms
  • Anti-inflammatory medications including nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs)
  • Corticosteroid injections
  • Surgical procedures

Surgery is an option in only the most severe cases where nonsurgical options fail to achieve good results. Procedures, including tendon realignment, bone spur removal, and calcium build up reduction, help mitigate pressure on affected tendons.

The expert physicians at Gardner Orthopedics boast decades of experience treating tendonitis with both nonsurgical and surgical options. If you suffer from joint pain and want to get back to your normal routine, make an appointment with Gardner Orthopedics over the phone or online today.

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