As a rope is made up of many fine threads side by side, the tendons are like ropes formed of many strands in close proximity. All muscles end in tendons at both ends, which are anchored to the bone, so as to contract, producing movement, every muscle thus has one or more tendons from where it originates and one terminal, but the tendon close to the bone to which the anchor is called entheses. Tendons are therefore structures that are continually subjected to stresses generated by muscles when these are excessive or repeated may cause the disease. The tendons are also surrounded by an envelope within which there is a fluid that lubricates the tendon and facilitates the movement of this to reduce friction with the other surrounding structures, the envelope is called the tendon sheath or synovial sheath.
Tendinitis is inflammation of the tendon, although more accurately the inflammation occurs in the tendon sheath. Within the tendon itself, depending on the cause of tendinitis, fiber breakage may occur.
The most frequent causes of tendinitis are the traumatic and rheumatic origin:
In the case of traumatic tendinitis these can arise by a single violent trauma or from repeated trauma of lower intensity which are generally occupational or sports. In these cases occurring fibers ruptured tendon itself which results in pain and inflammation of its sheath.
When the cause of tendinits is a rheumatic disease, the body produces antibodies that attack the tendon and its sheath. There are other reasons that can be given as tendinitis are infectious in origin, due to certain drugs. Etc.. (more…)
