Footnotes / Blog
What Are Tendon Injury Key Terms and Their Meanings?
Before diving into effective treatment options for tendon injuries, it’s important to understand some key terms. Tendons are crucial structures in our body that connect muscles to bones, allowing for movement at joints. The Achilles tendon, located at the back of the heel, is one of the most recognizable tendons in the body. In this section, we’ll clarify terms such as tendinopathy, tendinitis, and tendinosis, which are often used interchangeably but have distinct meanings.
Tendons: The Basics
Tendons are fibrous, chord-like structures that play a pivotal role in the body’s ability to move. They connect muscles to bones, crossing at least one joint, and enable movement when muscles contract. The Achilles tendon, for example, connects the calf muscle to the heel bone, facilitating actions like walking and running.
Clarifying Common Terms
- Tendinopathy is a general term used to describe any injury to a tendon, regardless of the cause or severity. This term encompasses a wide range of tendon issues, but it doesn’t specify whether the injury is acute, chronic, inflammatory, or degenerative.
- Tendinitis is often the term most people are familiar with, but it’s commonly misused. Tendinitis specifically refers to inflammation of a tendon. Typically, this condition does not involve long-term damage, and with proper care, it often resolves relatively quickly. However, the term is frequently used inappropriately by both the public and healthcare professionals to describe any tendon pain, whether or not inflammation is present.
- Tendinosis is a more serious condition than tendinitis and is more commonly seen in chronic cases. It refers to the degenerative changes in the tendon that result from repetitive stress, overuse, or old injuries. In tendinosis, the tendon suffers from microtears that accumulate over time, leading to weakening and structural changes within the tendon. This condition can cause long-term pain and dysfunction if left untreated.