Tendinosis Symptoms, Root Causes, and Remedies
In the world of sports medicine and orthopaedics, two terms often come up when discussing tendon injuries: tendinitis and tendinosis. While they may seem similar, these conditions have distinct differences that are crucial to understand for proper treatment and prevention.
Tendinitis, an inflammatory condition of the tendon, is typically caused by excessive load or injury to the musculotendinous unit, often due to overuse or repetitive motion. In contrast, tendinosis involves the degeneration of tendon tissue without inflammation, usually arising from chronic overuse and microtears that impair tendon structure and healing.
Common causes of tendinitis include sports, manual labour, a sudden increase in activity or workload, certain antibiotics, and underlying conditions such as rheumatoid arthritis. Tendinosis, on the other hand, is primarily caused by chronic repetitive stress and microtrauma to the tendon, leading to a failed healing response.
Symptoms of tendinitis include pain localized around the affected tendon, worsened by movement or activity, swelling, tenderness, and possible warmth over the tendon. In comparison, tendinosis presents with chronic, often less severe pain that worsens with use, stiffness, and thickening of the tendon.
Treatment for tendinitis focuses on rest, ice application, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), physical therapy, and in some cases, corticosteroid injections. For tendinosis, the emphasis is on rehabilitation with eccentric strengthening exercises, avoidance of activities that cause repetitive overload, physical therapy to improve tendon load tolerance, and in chronic or severe cases, regenerative treatments or surgery.
Healthcare professionals may recommend vitamin C and curcumin (turmeric) supplements to promote collagen production and speed up healing. It's important to note that hobbies or professions that require putting repeated stress on the tendons can increase the risk of developing tendinosis, making athletes and manual labourers more prone to this disorder.
Tendinosis can affect tendons throughout the body, but is more common in areas with consistent use such as the elbow, shoulder, knee, hip, Achilles heel, and wrist. Sports injuries are some of the most common causes of tendinopathy, the term that describes all overuse injuries of the tendon.
In summary, tendinitis is an acute inflammatory tendon injury often caused by sudden overload or repetitive strain, treatable with anti-inflammatory measures and rest. Tendinosis, however, is a chronic degenerative tendon condition requiring focused rehabilitation to encourage tendon repair rather than simple inflammation control. Early recognition and appropriate treatment can significantly improve the healing process and prevent further complications.
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