Tendonitis (also known as tendinitis) is a common condition where tendons become inflamed, tear, or are just irritated. The condition can happen through a multitude of ways. Most commonly, tendonitis occurs through some sort of excessive use of your tendons. Many athletes and physically active people can become afflicted with this condition, often through one of the following:
- Over-exertion – performing the same physical activity too much, such as excessive jogging or swinging a bat repeatedly
- Over-loading – performing a physical activity far beyond your capabilities. Examples might include increasing weights while lifting by hundreds of pounds or running a marathon with little to no training.
If you are a very physical person, tendonitis can become a big problem. Tendons are crucial to the operation of movement for your body. They connect the skeletal structure to the musculature. This allows your body to move together freely. Without tendons, bones and muscles would simply be separate entities. Tendons allow the body to fluidly navigate through life.
Tendonitis can show up in a variety of ways. Symptoms of this condition can include:
- Stiff movement
- Joint tenderness
- Joint weakness