AFAA Personal Trainer Certification Practice Exam

What is a common pathological result of tendinitis?

1. Cartilage degradation

2. Joint swelling

3. Scarring or calcium deposits

4. Nerve damage

The correct answer is: Scarring or calcium deposits

Tendinitis is characterized by the inflammation of a tendon, which is the connective tissue that attaches muscle to bone. A pathological result of this condition is the formation of scarring or calcium deposits within the tendon. When tendinitis occurs, the repetitive stress or overuse can lead to tissue breakdown and a healing process that may create scar tissue. Additionally, in cases of chronic tendinitis, the body may deposit calcium in the affected area as part of the healing process, leading to further stiffness and pain. While cartilage degradation, joint swelling, and nerve damage can occur in various musculoskeletal injuries or pathologies, they are not direct consequences of tendinitis itself. Cartilage degradation generally pertains to conditions like osteoarthritis, swelling is often a symptom of inflammation but not a direct pathological outcome, and nerve damage is more related to injury or compression rather than from tendinitis. Therefore, the identification of scarring or calcium deposits as a result of tendinitis underscores the changes that occur in the affected tendons during the healing process.