Tendinitis can occur from a sudden intense injury. Most often, though, it results from a repeated, minor injury of that tendon. Doctors call this repetitive stress or overuse. For example:
- Painting a ceiling for four hours or more, typing long hours, improper body position while using a keyboard, chopping, cutting or sawing may result in tendinitis or bursitis hours or days later.
- Tight clenching while using hand tools or while driving a long time.
- Using a backhand, mainly single handed, in an early-season game of tennis (“tenniselbow”).
- Wearing improper running shoes or not getting the proper training before sports.
To prevent these overuse injuries, follow the tips in the Joint Protection Table.
Persons with gout, pseudogout, or blood or kidney diseases often develop bursitis as part of that disease. Older persons are more prone to get tendinitis and bursitis. Rarely, some drugs can cause tendinitis and tendon rupture (spontaneous tear). These include fluoroquinolone antibiotics and statins drugs that lower cholesterol).