5-Minute Pediatric Consult
Tendinopathy
BASICS
DESCRIPTION
- Tendinopathy: spectrum of changes in damaged and diseased tendons, resulting in pain and reduced function
- Tendonitis: acute inflammation of a tendon
- Tendinosis: chronic degenerative changes in tendon structure
EPIDEMIOLOGY
- Increases with age and time of puberty
- Prevalence is higher in boys—in children and adolescents
- Upper extremity: rotator cuff, medial (flexor tendon) and lateral (extensor tendon) epicondylitis
- Lower extremity: gluteal tendon, patellar tendon, tibialis posterior tendon, peroneal tendon, Achilles tendon
ETIOLOGY
Typically, repetitive motion/overuse activities
RISK FACTORS
- Sport- and occupation-specific
- Sudden increase in activity or initiation of new activity
- Conditions:
- Age
- Family history
- Diabetes mellitus
- Hyperlipidemia
- Obesity
- Hypermobility
- Rheumatologic conditions
- Renal disease
- Medications:
- Fluoroquinolones
- Hormone replacement therapy
- Statins
- Corticosteroids
- Genetics: Multiple genes play a role in tendon health.
PATHOPHYSIOLOGY
- Decreased tenocyte volume, increase in type III collagen fibers rather than the organized type I collagen, gradual accumulation of tendon matrix damage
- Inflammation, microtearing, neovascularization, and neoinnervation may be present.
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Citation
Cabana, Michael D., editor. "Tendinopathy." 5-Minute Pediatric Consult, 9th ed., Wolters Kluwer, 2025. Pediatrics Central, peds.unboundmedicine.com/pedscentral/view/5-Minute-Pediatric-Consult/619019/all/Tendinopathy.
Tendinopathy. In: Cabana MDM, ed. 5-Minute Pediatric Consult. Wolters Kluwer; 2025. https://peds.unboundmedicine.com/pedscentral/view/5-Minute-Pediatric-Consult/619019/all/Tendinopathy. Accessed June 10, 2026.
Tendinopathy. (2025). In Cabana, M. D. (Ed.), 5-Minute Pediatric Consult (9th ed.). Wolters Kluwer. https://peds.unboundmedicine.com/pedscentral/view/5-Minute-Pediatric-Consult/619019/all/Tendinopathy
Tendinopathy [Internet]. In: Cabana MDM, editors. 5-Minute Pediatric Consult. Wolters Kluwer; 2025. [cited 2026 June 10]. Available from: https://peds.unboundmedicine.com/pedscentral/view/5-Minute-Pediatric-Consult/619019/all/Tendinopathy.
* Article titles in AMA citation format should be in sentence-case
TY - ELEC
T1 - Tendinopathy
ID - 619019
ED - Cabana,Michael D,
BT - 5-Minute Pediatric Consult
UR - https://peds.unboundmedicine.com/pedscentral/view/5-Minute-Pediatric-Consult/619019/all/Tendinopathy
PB - Wolters Kluwer
ET - 9
DB - Pediatrics Central
DP - Unbound Medicine
ER -
