Causes Of Tendonitis: Can They Be Determined?

If you suffer from the pain, inflammation, and trauma of tendonitis, they you probably know that it can be difficult to discover the underlying cause of tendonitis. There are many different things that can be the cause of tendonitis, and part of the treatment for the problem relies on finding the underlying cause, in order to treat the cause as well as the symptoms.

Before you can look at the causes of tendonitis, you must first understand what the problem is. While it is often called tennis elbow, giving the impression that it affects only the elbow and arm, tendonitis can affect any tendon in the body.

Tendonitis is basically an inflammation and pain in the tendons. Tendons are the part of the body that attaches muscle to bone. That inflammation can be caused by many reasons, which is what makes finding the cause of tendonitis so difficult.

Injury: A Common Cause

One of the most common causes of tendonitis is probably injury to the affected area. This is often a sports injury, which causes the tendons to become inflamed. Often, those who experience an injury later find that they have developed tendonitis after the original injury has healed.

Overuse Is another Cause

Overuse is the other common cause of tendonitis. Frequent, repetitive motions that put strain on the same tendon of the body can lead to those tendons becoming inflamed and sore. This is the cause of tennis elbow, and why it received its name. Tennis elbow is an inflammation of the tendons in the elbow, due to repetitive motion, which commonly occurs in those who play tennis. People who work in factories and perform the same motion over and over are at risk of developing tendonitis in their hands and wrists. Also, musicians, particularly pianists, and those who spend long periods of time on the computer can also develop tendonitis due to overuse, particularly in the wrists.

Aging Can Cause Tendonitis

A final cause of tendonitis is aging. As the body ages, so do the tendons. They age by losing elasticity, which can make them susceptible to becoming inflamed, especially when they are overused. While most of the causes of tendonitis cannot be helped, there are some things that you can do to avoid making the problem worse. If you notice swelling and pain in an area of your body that is being used in a repetitive motion, take a break. Ice the area, and do whatever you can to get the swelling down. This will keep the tendonitis from getting worse.

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