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Home Tag: "achilles tendon surgery"

Tag: achilles tendon surgery

achillesTendon
20Jul

achillesTendon

Experiencing pain or swelling in the posterior aspect of the ankle is a sign of disorder. The Achilles tendon is susceptible to damage since it is the largest tendon with a limited supply of blood and subject to a lot of pressure. The two causes of Achilles tendon disorders are increased activity and aging. The onset of the disorder can be gradual or sudden, but either way, the healing process is lengthy. A medical practitioner does a thorough physical examination and medical history for appropriate diagnosis and Achilles tendonitis treatment plan. When the proper treatment is administered, it leads to full recovery.

Pain associated with the Achilles tendon often begins with mild pain above the heel or back of the leg after an activity such as running. After some time, you might experience more severe pain after prolonged activity. You might also notice stiffness or tenderness in the morning, which vanishes with mild activity. If you are dealing with Achilles tendon pain, you may want to seek help from a . Feel free to contact our office to make an appointment with our . Our foot and ankle doctor, Dr. Ejodamen Shobowale will provide you with the care you need to keep you pain-free on your feet.

One of the main symptoms of Achilles tendon disorders is the sore Achilles and buildup of pain. Soreness is noticeable a few centimeters above the heel bone. The lower leg can feel weak, stiff, and slow.

If you overstretch, the Achilles tendon might partially or completely rupture. If it is an achilles tendon rupture, you might hear a pop sound followed by an immediate sharp pain at the back of the ankle. Your ability to walk will be affected while some people might get well through nonsurgical treatment, a ruptured tendon can be corrected through surgery.

A prolonged tendon disorder may require long term treatment or surgery. Seeking treatment right away is very important, but it is crucial to follow the doctor’s instructions for quick recovery. It might take a few months to recover fully from surgery.

Some disorders can go away following proper care, but if you continue putting pressure on the tendon it will take longer to heal. It is important to rest, ice, compress and elevate which is the RICE method.

Rest: whenever possible, avoid pressure on your tendons, sit, or sleep, and you might use crutches for long distances. The injury heals faster if no additional strain is put on the tendon.

Ice: apply ice several times for 15 to 20 minutes a day. This reduces inflammation and swelling fast.

Compression: compress the injury by wrapping an athletic tape or bandage or clothing. The wrapping should not be too tight to limit blood flow.

Elevation: to keep the swelling down, raise your foot above your chest when lying down. Use a pillow or a raised surface to achieve this.

Surgery:

If treatment and other interventions are ineffective, the doctor may suggest surgical intervention, especially if the condition worsens. Depending on the severity of the condition, the doctor might recommend a few surgery options.

In case you fear of complications of Achilles tendon disorder due to severe pain, disabling your ability to carry on normal activity you need to visit a doctor. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact our office located in Houston, TX. Our Houston, TX office can handle all of your foot and ankle issues. We will provide you with the latest diagnostic and treatment methods for treating all foot or ankle related issues.

achilles tendon
14Jan

Understanding the

The achilles tendon is known to be the largest tendon in your body that extends from calf muscles to the bones of the heel. You can feel it at the back of your ankle and above your heel. To feel the achilles tendon at work, while on your feet, point your toes to the floor and raise the tips of your toes. Injuries to this tendon are often associated with mild or moderate pain or sudden stiffness in that part of the leg. In severe cases of , it may be because the tendon is torn or possibly ruptured. 

achilles tendon

Causes of Injuries To The Achilles Tendon

The injury is common if someone is engaging in activities that require quick sprints, slow downs or pivots. Some of these activities are dancing, football, tennis, volleyball, softball, gymnastics, running, etc. Furthermore, repetitive strain of achilles tendon have been known to be a common cause of injury to the achilles tendon.

The achilles tendon connects to the achilles heel. The achilles heel bone can become tender with age and this increases the probability of an injury to the bone or tendon. This scenario is typically more severe for athletes that participate in quick movement sports.

How to prevent a to the achilles tendon?

To prevent an , some measures can be taken:

Daily stretching – It is necessary to stretch the calf muscles and achilles tendon daily to prevent injuries to this part of the leg. This will also improve your flexibility. 

  • Increase activity level slowly – With regular physical activity, the likelihood of experiencing pain from achilles tendon is very slim
  • Strengthen calf muscles – Strong muscles help the calf and achilles tendon to handle sudden stress caused by exercise or similar activities.  
  • Take it easy – Try to keep away from activities that can cause stress to your calf muscles and achilles tendon. Warm-up first before you try any strenuous activity.  
  • Choose shoes carefully – Choose the right shoes when exercising. Choose shoes that have suitable cushioning to reduce stress to your feet. Replace worn-out shoes. Finally, if the shoe is not comfortable, do not use it to exercise. 

If you are dealing with Achilles tendonitis, the following steps can help alleviate the pain:

  1. Rest the injured leg as much as you can and do not put weight on the leg. 
  2. Ice it for at least twenty minutes and also do some stretches to avoid pain from the tendon.
  3. Compress your injured leg with the help of elastic bandages around the lower leg and  ankle to reduce the chances of swelling.
  4. You can take anti-inflammatory medicines which should help with pain and swelling. Take medicine only after consulting with a physician as it is necessary to use the right dosage
  5. While resting, try elevating your leg to get some relief.
  6. Try wearing heel lifts. Heel lifts in shoes give relief from achilles pain.
tendon
25Oct

The orcalcaneal tendonorheel cord, is the big entwinedensemble of fibrous tissuesthat is located at the back of the lower leg and connects the calf muscles(gastrocnemius and soleus muscles) to the heel bones (calcaneal tuberosity on the calcaneus).It is the largest and the strongest tendon in the human body. The Achilles tendon endures a lot of stress and pressure in the normal day-to-day activities, such as, walking, jumping, running, as well as athletic activities. However, a rupture in the Achilles tendon can be caused among the people of any age group, but most ruptures are caused during the age of 30-50, among the people who are very physically active or are professional athletes.

The tears in the tendon fibers can result in a partial or total disruption of the tendon. If you hear sudden pop sound at the back of the calf, then the condition might need instant medical care.

 tendon

Achilles Tendon: Causes

Achillis is normally caused by repetitive and intense pressure on the Achilles Tendon. The structure of the Tendon weakens with age, making it more prone to the injury. There are two main types of Tendonitis:

The first type of Tendonitis, Non-insertional Achilles Tendonitis, usually affects the younger adults. It causes pain and swelling as the small slits of the middle fibers of the tendon begins to disrupt.

The second type of Tendonitis, Insertional Achilles Tendonitis, can occur at any age, even to people who are not very physically active. The pain is caused due to additional bone development at the spot where the Tendon meets the heel bone.

Achilles Tendon: Symptoms

Achilles Tendonitis can weaken the tendon and can make the tendon more prone to the rupture, which may require an immediate surgical repair. The symptoms of Achilles Tendonitis are:

  1. Stiffness, aching or swelling within the tendon. Pain can be at its intensity upon waking up in the morning and worsening during the day due to increased activities. The pain would occur at the back of the leg or near the heel.
  1. Powerful penetrating pain when the sides of the tendon are squeezed. However, when the back of the tendon is touched or squeezed there is considerably less pain.
  1. Enlargement or growth of nodules may arise in the spots where the tissue is injured. The patient will experience difficulty in bending the affected foot.

Achilles Tendon: Treatment

After the Achillis Tendonitis is diagnosed by the doctor through your medical history, visible symptoms and X-ray results, it is important to get the right treatment.Treatment depends on the severity of the injury. If the injury is not very intense, the doctor will ask you to take considerable amount of rest, frequent ice compression at the affected area, intake of pain relieving drugs, special exercises that you can do on your own to strengthen the calf muscle, physiotheraphy, orthotic shoes (to lift your heel).

If the above treatment is not of much relief then the might recommend surgery. Some of the surgical methods may include: surgery to extend the gastrocnemius (calf muscle) decline or surgery to remove the excess bone growth and to repair the tendon. 

It is very important to seek out a podiatrist if you believe you have an injury in the Achilles region, because further damage could result in severe complications that would make being mobile difficult, if not impossible.