Tendinitis

Alternative names:

bicipital tendinitis; calcific tendonitis

Definition:

An inflammation of a tendon (the fibrous structure that joins muscle to bone or other muscle).

Causes, incidence, and risk factors:

Tendinitis can occur as a result of injury, overuse, or with aging as the tendon loses some of its elasticity. It may also be involved in systemic diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis. The injury could occur with any tendon, but some commonly affected sites are the shoulder, the wrist, the heel (Achilles tendon), and the elbow.