Tendonitis

What is tendonitis?

Tendonitis happens when a tendon becomes swollen and sore after being hurt. Tendons are like strong ropes in your body that connect your muscles to your bones. You have them all over your body - in your knees, elbows, shoulders, and many other places.

When a tendon gets damaged, it swells up (becomes inflamed) and can be quite painful. This usually happens from sudden movements or doing the same movement over and over again.

What does tendonitis feel like?

If you have tendonitis, you might notice:

• Pain in the area that gets worse when you move
• Finding it hard to move the joint normally
• A grating or crackling feeling when you move
• Swelling around the area, sometimes with warmth or redness

How to help yourself at home

For the first 2 to 3 days, try these simple steps:

Rest: Try not to move the sore tendon for a few days. Give it time to start healing.

Ice: Put an ice pack (or a bag of frozen peas) wrapped in a tea towel on the area for up to 20 minutes every 2 to 3 hours. This helps reduce swelling and pain.

Support: Use an elastic bandage, tube bandage, or soft brace around the area. You can buy these at any pharmacy. Make sure it's snug but not too tight - you should still be able to move your fingers or toes easily. Always take it off before bed.

Once you can move without too much pain, try to keep the joint moving gently so it doesn't become stiff.

What to avoid

While you're recovering, try not to:

• Lift heavy things
• Grip things tightly or twist forcefully
• Play sports until the tendon has healed
• Do anything that makes the pain worse

Getting help from a pharmacist

Your local pharmacist can suggest the best painkiller for you. Paracetamol and ibuprofen both help with pain. They might also recommend an ibuprofen gel that you can rub directly on your skin.

When to speak to your GP

You should speak to your GP if:

• You've hurt a joint and it's not getting better after a few weeks
• The pain is getting worse instead of better

When to get urgent help

Get help from NHS 111 straight away if:

• You're in severe pain
• You think you might have torn a tendon completely (you might have heard a popping or snapping sound when it happened)
• The pain came on suddenly during an accident or activity

You can call 111 or use their online service.

What might happen next

Most mild tendon injuries get better by themselves within 2 to 3 weeks with proper self-care. If you need extra help, your GP might prescribe stronger painkillers or refer you for physiotherapy.

Preventing tendonitis

You can't always prevent tendonitis, but you can reduce your chances by:

• Warming up before exercise and stretching gently afterwards
• Wearing supportive shoes when exercising
• Taking regular breaks from repetitive activities
• Not overdoing exercise when your muscles are already tired

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Based on NHS.uk guidance. Written by Dr Krishnan Pasupathi, NHS GP.