ORTHOPEDICS/SPORTS DAMAGES
Two Disorders with common Features
Tendinitis and bursitis are two relatively common disorders that involve inflammation of the soft tissue around the muscles and the bones.
Tendinitis and bursitis frequently occurs in the shoulder, elbow, wrist, hip, knee, or ankle.
Tendinitis and Bursitis comparaison
Mainly, Tendinitis and bursitis differs by the affected tissue kind:
- Tendinitis is referring to the ligament inflammation such as the fibrous tissue that linked the muscle with the bone.
At a muscle flexion or relaxation, the tendon acts like a crane and stimulate the bone motion.
Note that tendons can be small such as those found in the hands and feet, or large such as the Achilles tendon.
- Bursitis is the inflammation of the fluid-filled bag, called the bursa that acts as a cushion between the bones and the tendons or also on the muscles surrounding the bone.
This bursa role is to significantly reducing the friction when these assemblies repeatedly rub against each other.
The main bursa quantity is located adjacently to the tendons of the large joints, such as those in the shoulders, elbows, hips, and knees.
Because tendons and bursa are regularly strictly located, any inflammation that happens in one may affect the other.
This is the reason that a diagnosis of ” a rotator cuff tendonitis” and “a shoulder bursitis” may occasionally designate the same incident.
Tendinitis and Bursitis/Difference
Tendinitis is mainly caused following a severe damage or a recurrent movement (such as running, or playing tennis).
Unlike Bursitis that can be caused, or by the same above topics, or also following an inflammation such as rheumatoid arthritis.
Note that Bursa is only present where there are bony distinctions, such as in the shoulder, the outside of the hip, or the kneecap.
Tendonitis or Bursitis/Therapy
Tendinitis or Bursitis therapy depends widely on the damage zone.
Therapy can be simple by just limiting activity until healing, or much complicated as surgery in more severe conditions.
Therapy of both disorders classically comprises:
- Relaxing
Relaxing the damage zone is primary to healing.
Relaxing requires preventing aggravating motion, as it may require a support to ensure complete immobilizing to the damaged zone.
- Applying an ice:
Applying an ice may help controlling and decreasing the inflammation. By minimizing both said topics, the tendons and the bursa get back to normal state.
- Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory medicines:
This may provide more help in alleviating inflammation and pain.
Medicines such Advil (Ibuprofen), Aleve (Naproxen), and Aspirin are recommended.
In addition, analgesic medicines like Tylenol (acetaminophen) provides pain relief.
Note that if signs persist, Cortisone injections may be used to provide short-term pain relief.
Finally, when Bursitis is caused due to inflammation, antibiotics may be prescribed.
Physical therapy can also help by strengthening the surrounding muscles, therefore, alleviating stress on the affected zone, in addition to avoiding repetition.