Calcific tendonitis?

• A. Bony spur formation in the shoulder
• B. Calcium deposits in the knee
• C. Formation of calcium deposits on rotator cuff tendons, causing chronic pain
• D. Calcium deposits in elbow

Answer: (C)

Calcific tendonitis is calcium hydroxyapatite deposits forming within a tendon, most commonly the rotator cuff tendons of the shoulder, particularly the supraspinatus. This leads to shoulder pain and often reduced range of motion due to inflammation and irritation from the calcific deposits. The best description among the options is the formation of calcium deposits on the rotator cuff tendons causing chronic shoulder pain, because it precisely captures both the location (tendons of the rotator cuff) and the process (calcium deposition) that defines this condition.

The other scenarios describe different problems: a bone spur is an osteophyte at the joint margin, not calcium within a tendon; calcium deposits in the knee or elbow imply joint or other tissue involvement rather than the classic tendon-centered process of calcific tendinopathy in the shoulder. In practice, diagnosis is supported by imaging showing calcific deposits in the rotator cuff tendons, and management ranges from conservative measures to targeted techniques if needed.