Once you’ve “been around the block” a few times, it’s likely that at some point you’ve been diagnosed with tendonitis, bursitis, or osteoarthritis somewhere. This could happen at or near any joint, but the areas that are most commonly affected are the shoulder, spine, hip, and knee.
The “itis” suffix refers to inflammation, and the first part of the word refers to the location of the inflammation. Here we’ll be focusing on tendons (tendonitis), bursa (bursitis), and joints (osteoarthritis).
Tendonitis
Tendons are thick cords that attach muscle to bone. (Ligaments on the other hand attach bone to bone.) Tendonitis can happen to any tendon in the body and usually causes swelling and discomfort. It can occur because of an injury or overuse; playing sports is a common cause. Additionally, as we age, our tendons lose elasticity making us more susceptible to tendonitis.
Rest and gentle strengthening/stretching exercises are usually very effective interventions.
Bursitis
A bursa is a fluid-filled sac that acts as a cushion and shock absorber between bones and tendons. Hip bursitis (also called trochanteric bursitis) is a common example and causes a chronic aching pain in the outer portion of your hip. It may be aggravated by lying on your side, climbing stairs, or standing or sitting too long. It most often is the result of injury, overuse, spinal abnormalities, arthritis, or a leg length difference.
The treatment for any type of bursitis is similar to that for tendonitis.
Osteoarthritis
Osteoarthritis (OA) is also referred to as degenerative arthritis or wear-and-tear arthritis and is the most common form of arthritis. It occurs when the protective cartilage at the ends of joints wears down, and typically affects a joint on one side of the body. The hallmark is stiffness when you first wake up, or after a period of prolonged sitting. OA usually comes on gradually as we get older, but not everyone with OA feels pain or other symptoms. Being overweight can accelerate the onset of OA in the hip and knee because of the extra stress placed on those weight-bearing joints. Interestingly, OA can also come from past injuries that occurred near the affected joint.
Exercise is one of the best medicines to manage this condition, but having a slow and steady approach is critical to avoid flare-ups.
It’s important to note that OA does not make you feel sick or have the type of fatigue that comes with other types of arthritis, such as rheumatoid arthritis (RA). RA is an auto-immune disease that causes the immune system to attack parts of the body, especially the joints. It often starts in the small joints of the hands and feet, and it often affects the same joints on both sides of the body at the same time.
An Important Note
Osteoporosis is not in the “itis” family! Please remember that we can’t feel our bones getting weaker which is why osteoporosis is called the “silent disease”.