CaRi-heart technology
Revolutionary new technology to assess the risk of a serious heart condition or heart attack – many years before anything happens.
Tendonitis
- Care rated as ‘very good’ or ‘excellent’ by 97% of our orthopaedic patients
- Expert treatment from our consultant-led multidisciplinary teams
- Appointments confirmed in as little as 24 hours
Tendonitis at HCA UK
Why choose us?
We understand that pain and inflammation can affect your quality of life. That’s why we offer fast access to advanced imaging and tailored treatment plans, whenever you need them.
At HCA UK, our specialist consultants, supported by expert multidisciplinary teams, can diagnose and treat any type of tendonitis. When you choose us, you can rest assured you’re in safe hands, which is why 97% of our patients say they’re likely to recommend HCA UK to family and friends.
Tendonitis is the inflammation of the thick connective tissues (tendons) between your muscles and bones that help you move. In tendonitis or tendinopathy, the tendon becomes inflamed or irritated, causing pain and tenderness around a joint and restricting movement.
Tendonitis can occur in any tendon in your body but is often experienced around the shoulders, elbows, wrists, knees and heels. It tends to happen due to repetitive strain or overuse in sports and is especially common in distance runners (Achilles tendonitis) and swimmers (rotator cuff tendonitis).
You can treat many cases of tendonitis with rest, ice, painkillers and physiotherapy. If your symptoms persist, you may need further tendonitis treatment such as steroid injections or surgery.
Tendonitis is a relatively common condition. Whether from physical work or sports and hobbies, it's usually caused by repeated movements that put stress on your tendons over time, such as running, swinging a golf club or tennis racquet, and using tools or computers.
As well as repetition, performing these movements incorrectly can overload your tendons. Some sudden, forceful movements can also be a cause of tendonitis.
Because you have tendons all over your body, symptoms of tendonitis can vary depending on the area affected. Symptoms commonly include:
- An ache or pain around the joint i.e. where a tendon attaches muscle to bone in your shoulder, elbow, knee or heel
- Stiffness and difficulty moving the joint, particularly first thing in the morning and after heavy exercise
- Swelling and tenderness, sometimes with redness
- A creaking or grating sensation when moving the tendon
Sudden pain and a popping or snapping sound can indicate that you've torn a tendon, which is known as a rupture.
You may need to see a specialist if your tendonitis symptoms persist and cause you a lot of pain. You should see a specialist right away if you think you may have ruptured a tendon – for example, if you experience sudden, severe pain and possibly notice a snapping noise during an activity.
Leaving tendonitis untreated can lead to chronic pain, difficulty moving and muscle weakness, as well as increasing the risk of a tendon tear.
No.1
in London for private orthopaedic care
10
specialist orthopaedic fields offering personalised treatment
97%
of our patients are likely to recommend us to family and friends
Fast access to specialists
appointments confirmed within 24 hours
State-of-the-art diagnostics
with results in as little as 48 hours
Multidisciplinary teams
expert treatment with specialist care for complex cases
Worried about tendonitis?
Get in touch and book a same or next-day GP appointment.
Have a referral letter and need to book?
Book your diagnostic test or scan today
Unsure of your diagnosis?
Talk to a specialist and get the answers you need.
Tendonitis tests and scans at HCA UK
How is tendonitis diagnosed?
Your consultant will begin by asking you questions about your medical history and symptoms and examine the area where you’re experiencing symptoms.
Tendonitis can often be diagnosed through a physical exam. They will ask you questions about how the pain is affecting you and your sports or exercise activities and assess how your movement may be contributing to the problem. Sometimes gait analysis can be helpful to inspect how your body moves while walking or running.
If they suspect you might have tendonitis, they may well order diagnostic tests and imaging to rule out other conditions and help them make a more informed treatment plan. Our diagnostic offering includes:
- Physical examination
- Medical assessment
- Gait analysis
- Ultrasound
- MRI
Tendonitis treatments at HCA UK
Treatment options for tendonitis
The best treatment options for you will depend on the cause of your tendonitis, the area affected and the severity of your symptoms. We’ll usually start with non-surgical treatments, including rest, ice over a towel, painkillers and rehabilitation from our leading musculoskeletal specialists.
Physiotherapy is key for treating tendonitis when symptoms persist and can also involve screening other joints for issues that may be causing you to move incorrectly, such as assessing shoulder mobility in cases of tennis elbow. You'll also be guided on how to return to activity gradually.
For milder cases, this may be sufficient to manage your symptoms. Surgery is rarely needed and only recommended for severe symptoms where more conservative approaches aren't working. Our treatment options include:
- Physical therapy
- Steroid injections such as corticosteroids.
- Platelet-rich plasma (PRP) injections to promote healing.
- Shockwave therapy to stimulate healing
- Tendon repair surgery to remove or repair damaged tissue.
If you don't have a referral, don't worry.
Our private GPs can refer to an appropriate consultant or for further tests. You can often get a same- or next-day appointment, so get in touch today to see how we can help.
Accessing private healthcare
Self-pay
You don’t need health insurance to be seen quickly. If you’re looking for a diagnosis or treatment and don’t want to wait, all our private healthcare services – from private GP appointments through to surgery and aftercare – can be paid for as and when you need them.
And to give you peace of mind from the start, we’ll offer you a clear and transparent quote outlining exactly what treatments you’re paying for.
Find out more
Tendonitis FAQs
The most common types of tendonitis include:
Epicondylitis: often known as tennis elbow when it affects the outside of the elbow, or golfer's elbow when it occurs on the inside.
Calcific tendonitis: caused by a build-up of calcium in the tendons. This is also known as rotator cuff tendonitis or swimmer's shoulder.
Patellar tendonitis: causes pain between the kneecap and the point of attachment to the shinbone. This is also known as runner's or jumper's knee.
Achilles tendonitis: occurs due to overuse of the Achilles tendon in running or sports.
Tenosynovitis: inflammation of the lining of a tendon sheath (thin layer of tissue that separates a tendon from surrounding tissue). Common types of tenosynovitis include:
- De Quervain's disease in the thumb area
- Trigger finger or thumb, which restricts extension and causes sudden locking
Certain factors can make you more prone to developing tendonitis symptoms:
Age: Your tendons become less flexible with age, making them easier to injure.
Work: Manual labour or work that involves lots of repeated motions, awkward positions or vibration may increase your risk of tendonitis.
Physical activity: Factors such as sudden increases in training, poor equipment, hard surfaces and short recovery times can bring on the condition.
Medical conditions: You may be at higher risk of tendonitis if you have existing conditions such as diabetes, rheumatoid arthritis, gout and osteoarthritis.
Biomechanical abnormalities: Such as leg length discrepancy, raised arches.
Medications: Certain medications may also increase your risk, including:
- Statins used to lower cholesterol
- Fluoroquinolone antibiotics
- Aromatase inhibitors used to lower breast cancer risk
You can't always prevent tendonitis, but there are ways you can reduce the risk of injury, such as:
- Warming up your muscles before exercise and gently stretching afterwards
- Avoiding movements or activities that cause you pain wherever possible – for example, swapping running for cycling
- Moving correctly – for example, learning good form in sport or exercise and setting up your workspace correctly for your body
- Taking regular breaks from repetitive movements
- Not over exercising tired muscles
Yes, for mild to moderate cases, you may be able to treat the problem yourself:
- Rest the affected tendon for a few days and avoiding aggravating activities. Once the pain reduces, keep moving the joint gently to prevent it from becoming stiff.
- Ice the tendon for up to 15 minutes every two to three hours in the first few days
- Support it with a bandage or brace that you take off before bed
- Take painkillers such as paracetamol or ibuprofen or applying ibuprofen gel to the affected area
Most people recover well with treatment and rest, although it can take a few weeks to a couple of months to fully recover from tendonitis, depending on its severity and how it's treated. Resting properly can help your recovery. Your specialist will tell you when it's safe to return to your regular activities, such as exercise and manual work.
It's possible to suffer the same injury again if you put too much stress on the same tendons. If you have to perform repetitive movements for work or hobbies, one of our musculoskeletal specialists will be able to advise you how to avoid repeat injuries.
Most people won’t need surgery for tendonitis. However, if non-surgical treatments fail to relieve your symptoms, surgery could be the most effective next option.
The first line treatment for tendonitis is the same as any other joint injury, which is to use the ‘RICE method – rest, ice, compression, elevation. You can also take pain relief such as ibuprofen and paracetamol to help manage the pain. Once the pain has lessened it’s good to start slowly moving and prevent stiffness.
However, if your pain is very severe, or it persists for a few weeks without signs of improvement, it’s important to get professional advice from a GP, a specialist orthopaedic consultant or an experienced physiotherapist. At HCA UK, our multidisciplinary teams are able to assess you and advise the best next treatment steps for you.
Although some cases of tendonitis will resolve on their own, this is not guaranteed. Recovering and healing from tendonitis can take anything from two to three weeks to a few months or even years for more chronic conditions.
If left untreated, tendonitis can lead to more serious issues including muscle weakness, tendon degeneration and even rupture, so it’s important to get medical advice and a sound treatment plan.
A number of conditions which share symptoms with tendonitis, including ligament injury, bursitis, osteoarthritis, carpal tunnel syndrome and more. Tendonitis is typically experienced as pain in the area where the tendon attaches to the bone, rather than as more general muscle soreness.
Achilles tendonitis is a painful condition experienced as pain, inflammation and stiffness in the calf and heel area. It is usually caused by overuse of the calf muscles.
Calcific tendonitis is a very painful inflammatory condition involving calcium deposits inside the tendons.
The cost of your treatment will depend on the care your consultant recommends. For your peace of mind, we offer transparent pricing and will outline exactly what your consultant has included in your treatment and the overall amount you can expect to pay.
Patient stories
“With hindsight, I should have dealt with my knee problems a long time ago. I’d say to anyone else in my position that if you’re not sure about anything, you should seek the help of a specialist.”
Reviewed by