Tendinitis: symptoms, causes, treatment and which doctor to see
What tendinitis is, common types such as tennis elbow and Achilles pain, how it is diagnosed, and why rest plus the right exercises work best.
Also known as: Tendonitis
What tendinitis is
Tendons are strong, flexible cords that attach muscles to bones. Every time a muscle contracts, its tendon pulls on the bone to move a joint. Tendinitis (also spelt tendonitis) is pain and inflammation of a tendon, usually caused by doing the same movement again and again, or by a sudden increase in load that the tendon is not ready for.
Doctors increasingly use the broader term 'tendinopathy', because in long-standing cases the problem is often more about wear and poor healing inside the tendon than about inflammation. For a patient the difference matters less than the message: tendons heal slowly, and they respond best to the right amount of load — not to complete rest, and not to pushing through pain.
Many common types are named after the activities linked to them, though most people who get them do not play those sports:
- Tennis elbow — pain on the outer side of the elbow, often from gripping, typing, using tools or lifting bags
- Golfer's elbow — pain on the inner side of the elbow
- Shoulder (rotator cuff) tendinitis — pain when lifting the arm overhead; see rotator cuff injuries
- De Quervain's tendinitis — pain at the base of the thumb, common in new mothers lifting babies and in heavy phone users
- Jumper's knee — pain just below the kneecap
- Achilles tendinitis — pain at the back of the heel and lower calf
Symptoms
- Pain on movement of the affected area, often a dull ache that becomes sharp with certain actions
- Tenderness when you press on the tendon
- Mild swelling or thickening over the tendon
- Stiffness, especially first thing in the morning or after resting
- Sometimes a creaking or grating feeling when the tendon moves
Pain often eases once you warm up, then returns more strongly after the activity — which can tempt people to carry on and make things worse. Tendinitis can be confused with bursitis, arthritis, a trapped nerve or a fracture, so persistent pain is worth checking.
Causes and risk factors
The most common cause is repetitive strain: the same movement repeated many times at work, at home or in sport, without enough recovery between sessions. Other factors that raise the risk include:
- A sudden increase in activity — a new gym routine, a long trek, or starting to run without building up
- Poor technique or posture, or unsuitable equipment such as worn-out shoes or a badly set-up workstation
- Increasing age, as tendons become less elastic
- Diabetes, rheumatoid arthritis, gout and some other conditions
- Being overweight, which increases load on leg tendons
- Certain medicines, including a group of antibiotics called fluoroquinolones, which can rarely cause tendon damage or rupture, particularly in older people and those taking steroids
How it is diagnosed
Tendinitis is usually diagnosed by a physical examination. The doctor will ask about your work, activities and when the pain started, then press along the tendon and test which movements cause pain. Imaging is not always needed, but may help when the diagnosis is unclear or symptoms are not improving:
- Ultrasound — shows thickening, tears or fluid around the tendon, and can be done while you move
- MRI — gives detailed images of tendons and surrounding structures, useful when a tear is suspected or before surgery
- X-ray — does not show tendons well, but can rule out fractures, arthritis or calcium deposits
Blood tests may be suggested if several tendons or joints are affected, to look for inflammatory arthritis, gout or diabetes.
Treatment
Most tendinitis improves without surgery, though it can take weeks to months. Treatment aims to settle pain first and then rebuild the tendon's strength.
Early care
- Relative rest — cut back or modify the activity that causes pain, rather than stopping all movement; complete immobilisation can weaken the tendon
- Ice wrapped in a cloth for short periods can ease pain and swelling in the early days
- Pain relief — your doctor may suggest simple painkillers or anti-inflammatory gels or tablets for a short time; check first if you have stomach, kidney or heart problems
- A brace, splint or strap may help some types, such as a forearm strap for tennis elbow or a thumb splint for De Quervain's
Physiotherapy
Physiotherapy is the backbone of treatment. A physiotherapist will design exercises that load the tendon gradually — often slow, controlled strengthening exercises — along with stretching and correction of technique or posture. Doing these consistently for several weeks is what usually makes the difference. Some mild discomfort during the exercises can be acceptable; your physiotherapist will explain how much.
Injections and other options
A steroid injection can relieve pain in some types of tendinitis, such as De Quervain's or some shoulder problems, but the benefit may be short-lived and repeated injections can weaken tendons. Steroid injections are usually avoided directly into weight-bearing tendons such as the Achilles. Other treatments, such as shockwave therapy or platelet-rich plasma (PRP) injections, are offered at some centres; evidence for them varies, so ask your doctor what is known for your specific problem.
Surgery is reserved for a small number of people whose symptoms persist despite months of good non-surgical treatment, or who have a significant tear or rupture.
Prevention and getting back to activity
- Increase new activities gradually, over weeks rather than days
- Warm up before exercise and vary your activities through the week
- Take regular breaks from repetitive tasks such as typing, cutting vegetables, or using tools
- Set up your workstation so your wrists and shoulders are relaxed
- Wear supportive footwear for walking and running, and replace worn shoes
- Keep up strengthening exercises even after the pain has settled, to reduce the chance of it returning
When to seek urgent help
Go to an emergency department or call 112 or 108 if you have:
- A sudden snap or pop at the back of the heel or elsewhere, followed by weakness or inability to walk or use the limb — a possible tendon rupture, which is best treated early
- A joint that is suddenly hot, red and very swollen, especially with fever, which can be a sign of joint infection
- Severe pain and deformity after a fall or injury
See a doctor soon if pain does not improve after a couple of weeks of sensible self-care, wakes you at night, or affects several joints.
Which doctor to see
A general physician can diagnose and manage most mild tendinitis. An orthopaedic surgeon is the specialist to see for persistent pain, suspected tears or rupture, and when injections or surgery are being considered. A physiotherapist leads rehabilitation, and a rheumatologist can help if several tendons or joints are involved or an inflammatory condition is suspected.
You can find orthopaedic surgeons in Bengaluru or physiotherapists in Bengaluru on The Doctor Index, each with a registration you can check.
Questions to ask at your appointment
- Which tendon is affected, and is there any tear?
- Which activities should I reduce, and which can I continue?
- What exercises should I do, and how often?
- Would a brace, splint or injection help in my case?
- How long should recovery take, and when should I come back?
Common questions
Questions people ask
- How long does tendinitis take to heal?
- Mild tendinitis may settle within a few weeks with relative rest and exercises. Long-standing tendon problems can take several months, because tendons have a limited blood supply and heal slowly. Consistent physiotherapy usually shortens recovery.
- Should I completely rest a painful tendon?
- Usually not. Short-term reduction of painful activities helps, but complete rest weakens tendons. Most people do best with a gradual, guided exercise programme that loads the tendon in a controlled way.
- Is tennis elbow only caused by playing tennis?
- No. Most people with tennis elbow do not play tennis. It is commonly caused by repeated gripping and wrist movements in daily work, such as typing, using tools, carrying heavy bags or household chores.
- Are steroid injections safe for tendinitis?
- A steroid injection can relieve pain in some types of tendinitis, but the effect may not last, and repeated injections can weaken tendons. Your doctor will weigh the benefits and risks, and they are usually avoided in the Achilles tendon.
This condition is usually assessed by an orthopaedic surgeon. Every profile shows the doctor’s registration and what has been checked.
Orthopaedic surgeons in Bangalore
A few orthopaedic surgeons listed on The Doctor Index. They are shown because of their speciality, not a stated interest in Tendinitis; ask the clinic whether the doctor sees it.
Related conditions
- Bursitis
- Carpal Tunnel Syndrome
- Dislocated Shoulder
- Fractures
- Herniated Disk
- Muscle Cramps
- Osteoporosis
- Rotator Cuff Injuries
Practical reading
All postsSources
- MedlinePlus, US National Library of Medicine — Tendinitis
- Government of India — Emergency Response Support System (112)
- MedlinePlus, National Library of Medicine — Tendinitis — Public-domain health-topic summary
- Human Phenotype Ontology Consortium — terminology definitions — HPO licence; definitions reproduced without alteration
Tendinitis: symptoms, causes, treatment and which doctor to see is original text by The Doctor Index; the compiled source draft was used for research. Source: MedlinePlus, National Library of Medicine. Orphadata Science: Free access data from Orphanet. © INSERM 1999; July 2026 data, CC BY 4.0. This product uses the Human Phenotype Ontology (hp/releases/2026-09-01). Only sources listed for this article apply. Source material has been selected and arranged; HPO definitions are reproduced without alteration. No source organisation endorses this compilation. Köhler S et al. The Human Phenotype Ontology project: linking molecular biology and disease through phenotype data. Nucleic Acids Research 2014;42(D1):D966–D974. doi:10.1093/nar/gkt1026.
General information, not advice about your situation. Errors can be reported through the corrections process. Reference TDI-C-2304.