Tendonitis - Diagnosis 

Tendonitis or tenosynovitis (inflammation of the sheath surrounding the tendon) can be diagnosed by your GP based on your symptoms and an examination.

Your GP may ask:

• where the pain is and how severe it is
• whether you have recently injured yourself, for example while exercising, or whether you have a job or hobby that requires frequent use of that body part
• whether exercise makes the pain worse

Your GP may ask you to move the affected body part so they can see if your range of movement is affected. Sometimes, the tendon sheath becomes thickened and a creaky sound may be heard when you attempt to move the tendon.

Imaging tests

If there is any doubt about the diagnosis, an imaging test can be done to give more information about your injury. For example:

• An X-ray may show calcium deposits around a tendon, which would indicate calcific tendonitis, or may reveal that you have fractured or broken a bone.
• An ultrasound scan or a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scan can be used if a more detailed image is needed, for example if it is not clear which tendon in your elbow is injured.