These structures can become irritated, resulting in pain, swelling, warmth, and inflammation around the joint. Because the structures surround the joint, these symptoms can easily be mistaken for arthritis, but arthritis refers to direct irritation of the joint itself and not these structures. Nonetheless, soft tissue problems can co-exist with arthritis and can involve structures throughout the body. The most common soft tissue problems are tendonitis, bursitis and myofascial pain. Tendonitis is irritation or inflammation of a tendon, which is a cord that attaches the muscle to the bone.
Tendons allow muscles to generate strength, power, and movement about a bone.
Bursitis is irritation or inflammation of a bursa, a small sac filled with lubricating fluid, located between the muscle, the skin or tendon, and the bone. The bursa allows for lubrication of these gliding structures and allows them to move freely. Myofascial pain is pain in areas of muscles, most commonly in the neck, back, and shoulder. Hard areas are called trigger points, which are painful when pressed and which trigger pain that can be localized or that can spread to further areas within a particular muscle, like ripples in a pond from a stone. Continue reading .