Tendinopathy is a condition that can affect most all of the tendons in our body. By far, the most commonly affected tendons are the:
- Rotator Cuff
- Elbow
- Patella Tendon and the
- Achilles Tendon
Tendinopathy by definition means that there is some degree of degeneration — your tendon is wearing out. Like the hole on the front of your favorite pair of jeans. Tendinopathy, or degeneration of our tendons can be caused by:
- Genetics or your DNA
- Repetitive trauma
- and Aging :-(
While many of us have tendinopathy on an MRI, most will not have pain. We do NOT know why some people have tendinopathy with pain, yet many have tendinopathy without pain.
Thankfully the majority of people with tendinopathy will respond to rest, heat, over the counter medications like ibuprofen and physical therapy. Some of you might have a fairly severe episode of pain and in those instances a trip to a local sports medicine professional might be in order. Surgery is very rarely necessary for tendinopathy.
