Corticosteroid injections for common soft tissue rheumatism

Soft tissue injuries are probably the most commonly encountered rheumatic complaints and yet they are often overlooked. The diagnosis of most of these lesions relies on the physician's clinical acumen and a thorough understanding of the anatomy and function of the soft tissue involved is essential. A lot can be done to improve the patient's symptomatology once the diagnosis is made. Intralesional injection of corticosteroids is an effective form of treatment but care should be taken in the choice and dose of the steroid preparation used, the site of the injection and the monitoring of the patient's condition post-injection. In this article, the diagnosis and techniques of intralesional steroid injection of common soft tissue injuries are described.