What is enthesitis and why is it common in spondyloarthropathies?

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joint disease A 65-year-old man with advanced rheumatoid arthritis.

Enthesitis is defined as inflammation occurring at the site where a tendon or ligament inserts into the bone.1

It is considered a characteristic feature of spondyloarthropathies, a group of related inflammatory conditions that includes ankylosing spondylitis, psoriatic arthritis, and reactive arthritis. While the specific underlying mechanism linking these conditions to enthesitis is a subject of ongoing medical study, enthesitis is a primary clinical manifestation that helps distinguish these disorders from other forms of arthritis, such as rheumatoid arthritis.1

In patients with spondyloarthropathies, enthesitis frequently manifests as heel pain caused by inflammation of the Achilles tendon or the plantar fascia.1