is the irritation, inflammation, pain and swelling of the ligaments. Tendons connect muscles to bones at joints. Injury Injury or stress to parts of the body by muscles and tendons can cause tendonitis. It is a common cause of pain in the shoulders, elbows, wrists, and ankles in people who exercise. Tendonitis is also known by specific names such as tennis elbow, golfer's elbow, rotator cuff tendinitis, and Achilles tendinitis.