The repeated use of local steroid injections in the treatment of tenosynovitis in the active athlete is to be abandoned, not only because it masks the symptoms of tenosynovitis, giving the patient a false sense of security, but also because local injection of steroid decreases the tensile strength of tendon and predisposes it to complete rupture.
Get full access to this article
View all access options for this article.
References
1.
Ismail AM, Balakrishman R., Rajakamur MK, Lumpur K. Rupture of patellar lagament after steroid infiltration. J Bone Joint Surg51(Brit) :503, 1969
2.
Lee HB Avulsion and rupture of the tendo calcaneus after injection of hydrocortisone Brit Med Jil:395, 1957
3.
Curtis DH The Effect of Chemical Crosslinking Agents on the Mechanical Properties of Rat-tail Tendon, ed.1. Ann Arbor , University Microfilms, 1963
4.
Vildik A., Lewin T. Changes in tensile strength characteristics and histology of rabbit ligaments induced by different modes of postmortum storage Acta Orthop Scand37:141-155, 1966
5.
Walker LB Jr, Harris EH, Benedict JU Stress-strain relationships in human cadaveric plantaris tendon a pulmonary study. Med Electron Biol Engin2:31-38, 1964
6.
Nisbet NW Anatomy of the calcaneal tendon of the rabbit J Bone Joint Surg42(Brit):360-366, 1960
7.
MacMaster PE Tendon and muscle rupture. J Bone Joint Surg15:705-722, 1933
8.
Cronkite AE The tensile strength of human tendons. Anat Rec64:173-186, 1936
9.
Vildik A. Biomechanics and functional adaption of tendons and joint ligaments. Stud Anat Funct Bone Joints: 17-39, 1966.
10.
Barfred T. Experimental rupture of the achilles tendon. Acta Orthop Scand42:406-28, 1971.
11.
Hench PS, et al: The effect of a hormone of the adrenal cortex (17-hydroxy 11-dehydrocorticosterone Compound E) and of pituitary adrenocorticotropic hormone on rheumatoid arthritis preliminary report Proceedings of the Staff Meetings of the Mayo Clinic24:181, 1949.
12.
Chandler GN , Wright V. Deleterious effect of intra-articular hydrocortisone . Lancet2:661, 1958.
13.
Salter RB, Gross A., Hall JH Hydrocortisone arthropathy — an experimental investigation. Can Med Assoc J97:274
14.
Bentley G., Goodfellow JW Disorganization of the knees following intra-articular hydrocortisone injections J Bone Joint Surg51(Brit):498, 1969
15.
Mankin HJ, Conger KA The acute effects of intra-articular hydrocortisone on articular cartilage in rabbits J Bone Joint Surg48(Am):1383, 1966
16.
Walter JB, Israel MS General Pathology, ed 2 London , J&A Churchill, Ltd, 1965, p 155.
17.
Goldner JL, Wrenn RM, Markee JN An experimental study of the effect of cortisone on the healing process and tensile strength of tendons J Bone Joint Surg36(Am):588, 1954
18.
Berkin CR Effects of cortisone on the healing of tendons in rabbits Proceedings of the Royal Society of Medicine 48:610, 1955
19.
Gonzalez RI Experimental tendon repair within the flexor tunnels the use of hydrocortisone without improvement of function in dogs J Bone Joint Surg35(Am):1953