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Contents
  • The Clinical Examination
  • Functional Assessment Tools
  • Imaging Techniques
  • Specialized Tests

Diagnosing Tendinopathy: How Doctors Uncover the Source of Your Pain

Diagnosing Tendinopathy: How Doctors Uncover the Source of Your Pain

Beyond the Surface

Accurately diagnosing tendinopathy is crucial for effective treatment. While the pain may seem straightforward, proper diagnosis involves a combination of clinical assessment and sometimes advanced imaging techniques.
Contents
  • The Clinical Examination
  • Functional Assessment Tools
  • Imaging Techniques
  • Specialized Tests

The Clinical Examination

Diagnosis begins with a thorough clinical examination. Your doctor will take a detailed history, asking about your symptoms, activities, and any factors that worsen or relieve the pain. They'll perform a physical exam, checking for tenderness, swelling, and changes in the affected area. Range of motion and strength tests help assess the impact on function. Specific tests may be used to provoke symptoms and isolate the affected tendon.

Functional Assessment Tools

Doctors often use validated questionnaires to assess the severity of tendinopathy and its impact on function. Tools like the Victorian Institute of Sport Assessment (VISA) for Achilles or patellar tendinopathy provide standardized measures. These questionnaires help track progress over time and guide treatment decisions. They typically ask about pain levels during various activities and how the condition affects daily life.
Tendinopathy involves pain and dysfunction in a tendon, often requiring a comprehensive clinical examination and sometimes imaging for accurate diagnosis and effective treatment planning.

Imaging Techniques

While not always necessary, imaging can be valuable in confirming diagnosis and ruling out other conditions. Ultrasound is often the first choice, as it's non-invasive and can show tendon thickening, areas of degeneration, and increased blood flow. MRI provides detailed images of the tendon and surrounding structures, helpful for assessing more complex cases. X-rays may be used to check for calcifications or bone spurs.

Specialized Tests

In some cases, additional tests may be needed. Diagnostic injections can help pinpoint the source of pain. Blood tests might be ordered to rule out inflammatory conditions that can affect tendons. Rarely, a tendon biopsy may be performed to examine the tissue directly. These specialized tests are typically reserved for cases that are unclear or not responding to initial treatment.

FAQs

Is an MRI always needed?

No, clinical exam often sufficient for diagnosis.

How accurate is ultrasound?

Very accurate when performed by experienced clinicians.

Can blood tests diagnose tendinopathy?

No, but help rule out other conditions.

Is tendon biopsy common?

Rarely used, only in complex cases.

Do I need to see a specialist?

Often diagnosed by general practitioners or sports medicine doctors.

A Comprehensive Approach

Accurate diagnosis combines clinical skills, patient history, and sometimes advanced imaging for optimal treatment planning.
Experiencing tendon pain? Connect with Doctronic to start the diagnostic process and get on the path to recovery.
Additional References
  1. Scott A, Squier K, Alfredson H, et al. ICON 2019: International Scientific Tendinopathy Symposium Consensus: Clinical Terminology. Br J Sports Med 2020; 54:260.
  2. Robinson JM, Cook JL, Purdam C, et al. The VISA-A questionnaire: a valid and reliable index of the clinical severity of Achilles tendinopathy. Br J Sports Med 2001; 35:335.
  3. Docking SI, Ooi CC, Connell D. Tendinopathy: Is Imaging Telling Us the Entire Story? J Orthop Sports Phys Ther 2015; 45:842.
This article has been reviewed for accuracy by one of the licensed medical doctors working for Doctronic.