A tendon injury is a condition in which you have irritated or damaged the tough fibers that connect muscle to bone. Most tendon injuries occur near joints, like the shoulder, elbow, knee, or ankle.

Doctors may use different terms to describe a tendon injury.

• Tendinitis means "inflammation of the tendon," but inflammation is rarely the cause of tendon pain.
• Tendinosis or tendinopathy happens when a tendon is injured and doesn't heal as it should.