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What are Tendonitis and Bursitis?
What are Tendonitis and Bursitis?
Tendonitis is a condition defined by inflammation of tendons, the connective tissues between the muscles and bones. Tendons are strands of connective tissues located between the muscles and the bones that help us move. The irritation or inflammation of the tendons is caused by repetitive motions that put stress on the tendons. Bursitis is inflammation of the bursa, a fluid-filled sac that acts as a cushion between the bones, joints, muscles, and tendons. Bursa is like a bubble wrap that protects the structure throughout the body, bursitis can occur due to overuse or too much pressure on the bursa. Tendonitis most commonly affects the shoulder, knee, elbow, wrist, and heel often due to overuse, injury or repetitive motions. Individuals suffering from tendonitis may experience pain at the site, stiff joints, skin discolouration, and more. Bursitis commonly occurs in the shoulder, elbow, hip, and knee and causes symptoms like pain in the affected part, limited range of motion, swelling, etc.
Common Causes of Tendonitis
- Repetitive Motion/Overuse: The most common cause of tendonitis is repetitive stress on the tendon. Tendonitis is most common in athletes, manual labourers, and people with repetitive hobbies like playing instruments.
- Poor Technique or Posture: Bad form during exercise or while playing sports like improper lifting or poor ergonomics at work, etc can lead to tendonitis.
- Ageing: Tendonitis can occur after tendons lose flexibility and strength with age. Tendonitis due to age usually occurs in individuals over 40 years.
- Sudden Strain: A sudden strain or injury to a tendon, such as a fall or a blow to the affected area, can also lead to tendonitis.
- Underlying Medical Conditions: Medical conditions like rheumatoid arthritis, diabetes, gout, or thyroid disorders can also affect tendon health & increase inflammation and lead to tendonitis.
Common Causes of Bursitis
- Repetitive Motion: The primary cause of inflammation of the bursa is repetitive motion that puts pressure on the bursa. Activities like throwing a baseball, heavy lifting, or spending time in positions like kneeling, leaning, etc can irritate the bursa leading to bursitis.
- Infection: Infections, especially bacterial infection can spread to the bursae and lead to bursitis.
- Medical Conditions: Other medical conditions like arthritis, gout, diabetes, etc can trigger or worsen bursitis.
- Posture & Alignment Issues: Poor posture or misalignment of joints can put extra stress on the bursa and lead to irritation & inflammation.
Symptoms of Tendonitis
Pain: The most prominent symptom of tendonitis is pain, usually a dull ache, especially when moving the affected joint. Tenderness: Another common sign of tendonitis is soreness, the affected area feels sore to the touch and feels a bit of warmth over the tendon Swelling: Tendonitis can cause mild to moderate swelling over the tendon making it affected area puffy or slightly raised. Stiffness: The joint or tendon may feel tight and moving the affected part may feel restricted or uncomfortable.Symptoms of Bursitis
- Pain: Bursitis can cause dull, achy pain in the affected joint. Movements or change in position can also worsen the pain.
- Limited Range of Motion: Bursitis can cause stiffness or tightness in the joints and also limit the range of motion of the affected body part.
- Warmth & Redness: The skin over the inflamed bursa may appear red and warm.
- Swelling & Tenderness: Inflamed bursa can lead to noticeable swelling over the joint and the area may feel sore or sensitive when touched.
Diagnosis and Medical Evaluation
Tendonitis & bursitis can be diagnosed by an orthopedist through physical examination. Finding the painful area, and assessing the surrounding muscle strength, sensations, reflexes, postural changes, etc. can be aided by this physical examination.Following the physical examination, the orthopedician may suggest certain imaging tests to determine the severity of the issue. Tendonitis and bursitis can be diagnosed with imaging tests, including:
- X-ray: To rule out other conditions like fracture or arthritis.
- MRI: For detailed images of the soft tissues.
- Blood Test: To identify the signs of infection causing bursitis.
Treatment Options for Tendonitis
Treatment for tendonitis depends upon the severity of the condition and symptoms. The initial treatment involves icing the affected area, avoiding activities, resting the injured area, and taking anti-inflammatory medicines. If the tendonitis does not improve the following treatment measures are recommended:- Non-surgical/Conservative Treatment: Conservative treatment options involve using non-surgical methods to help relieve symptoms. Individuals with mild symptoms are recommended with conservative treatment. Non-surgical treatment involves using anti-inflammatory medicines, bracing, and corticosteroid injections. Additionally, physical therapy helps manage pain, inflammation, stiffness, etc as it involves stretching and strengthening exercises tailored to the affected area. Physical therapy helps reduce inflammation, improves soft tissue mobility to the muscles, helps restore function and prevents recurrence.
- Surgical Treatment: Individuals suffering from more severe symptoms are recommended with surgical treatment options. Surgical treatment may involve surgery to repair a torn tendon or tendon transfer to ease symptoms and promote healing.
Treatment Options for Bursitis
Bursitis usually gets better with rest and avoiding the activities & positions that stress or irritate the bursa. An orthopedician can guide on the duration of rest basis the severity of the inflammation.- Non-surgical/Conservative Treatment: Conservative treatment is preferred for treatment of mild bursitis cases. Conservative treatment options involve elevating the injured area, ice therapy, taking over-the-counter medicines like pain relievers, and physical therapy involving gentle stretching & strengthening. Conservative treatment methods help prevent stiffness, reduce pain & inflammation, and prevent future flare-ups.
- Surgical Treatment: Surgical treatment of bursitis is recommended when the condition is not improving through conservative options. Surgical treatment involves bursectomy, a procedure involving removal of the bursa and drainage of the inflamed bursa involving draining the pus and fluid from the infected bursa.
How to Prevent Tendonitis and Bursitis
The best way to prevent tendonitis is to avoid staying in the same position for long and learn proper posture for all activities. Preventing bursitis involves avoiding overuse of the body, avoiding sitting or kneeling for long, and taking breaks during repetitive tasks. Some of the common preventive measures for tendonitis and bursitis involve:| Preventive Measures | Tendonitis | Bursitis |
| Warm up & stretch before activity | Reduces stress on the tendons | Helps avoid strain on the joints |
| Avoid repetitive movements | Prevents overuse of tendons | Reduces pressure on joints |
| Gradually increase activity levels | Prevents sudden overload on tendons | Avoids sudden joint stress |
| Strengthen muscles | Provide support to tendons | Offloads pressure from bursae |
| Use ergonomic equipment | Helps avoid awkward positions | Reduces prolonged joint pressure |
| Rest & recover b/w activities | Prevents excess strain | Allows joint tissues to recover |
Recovery from Tendonitis & Bursitis
Recovery time for tendonitis and bursitis depends on the severity and location of the injury but usually, recovery from mild tendonitis cases treated with non-surgical or conservative methods may heal within a few weeks while severe tendonitis treated with surgical methods may take several months to recover. While mild bursitis cases tend to resolve faster with proper conservative treatment and rest, severe cases might take longer, anywhere from several weeks to months.Meet Our Doctors
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FAQs Around Tendonitis & Bursitis
FAQs Around Tendonitis & Bursitis
Q. How much time does tendonitis take to heal?
Mild tendonitis cases might take a few weeks to recover while severe cases may take a few months to recover completely.
Q. Can tendonitis cause bursitis?
Yes, tendonitis can cause bursitis.
Q. Can you have bursitis and tendonitis at the same time?
Yes, it is possible to have bursitis and tendonitis at the same time.
Q. How to differentiate between bursitis and tendonitis?
The major differentiating point is both the conditions affect different structures. The location of the pain and tenderness can help differentiate the two.
Q. How to treat hip bursitis and tendonitis?
Treatment of bursitis and tendonitis can be done by a combination of rest, ice therapy, pain relief medication, and physical therapy.
Q. What is the difference between bursitis and tendonitis?
Bursitis is the inflammation of the bursa, a fluid-filled sac that acts as a cushion between bones, tendons, and muscles, while tendonitis is inflammation of the tendons, which are cords connecting muscles to bones.
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