Tendonitis occurs when micro tears develop in a tendon, often due to repetitive strain. Tennis elbow and Achilles tendonitis are probably the two best know types of tendonitis.
Tennis elbow occurs when tendons in your forearm are overworked and become inflamed. Commonly this is due to either repetitive movements (often not from playing tennis!) of the wrist (RSI) or when the wrist is held in a static position for extended periods (common with prolonged keyboard usage).
The pain from Tennis Elbow (its proper name, Lateral Epicondylitis) presents on the outside of the elbow, normally when the muscle is being used (or if you gently press into the area). It’s not uncommon for the pain to be felt further into the forearm over time, sometimes as far as the wrist, causing pain or weakness when holding or twisting objects.
As with a lot of issues that I treat, problems start when the body is unable to meet the demand placed upon it. With Tennis Elbow, this could be due to a weekend of gardening (pruning flowers or trimming hedges back), or after tackling that DIY that has been put off for too long (hammering and screwing movements).
Achilles tendonitis is often seen in runners, particularly leading up to an event when fewer rest days are taken and distances are increased too quickly. It’s not uncommon to find that stretching is neglected and tight calf muscles contribute to the problem.
Treatment not only focuses on the painful area, but looks further afield to address the underlying cause.