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Experiencing torn tendon on foot can cause pain, tenderness, redness or swelling. However, there are treatment options available to address tendon injuries. On the other hand, you can avoid injury by keeping your joints strong with a treadmill.
What are tendons?
Tendons are like tough, fibrous tissues that connect the muscles to the bones. An example of this is the Achilles tendon. Achilles tendon connects the calf muscle to the heel bone. Tendons can resist high tensile forces as transmission forces apply from muscle to bone.
Tendons are the arranged collagenous tissues consisting of fibers, various shaped cells and ground substance. To give you more details about tendons, you can also watch this short video about it.
What are foot tendon injuries?
The foot and ankle have several bones, ligaments and tendons that work together for better balance and movement. There are two tendons in the foot which we can refer to as the peroneal tendons.
The posterior tibial tendon is the tendon that attaches the calf muscle to the bones inside the foot. On the other hand, the Achilles tendon attaches the calf muscle to your heel. Both of these tendons are working to stabilize the foot and ankle. In effect, our daily functions will stay intact.
However, how can you identify that you have torn tendon in the foot? The following symptoms might help you.
Typical symptoms of foot tendon tears
- Pain: It is the most common symptom you will have from tendon injuries. Any injury can become painful. In this case, your pain can worsen if you do movements or put weight on it.
- Swelling, redness and warmth: An injured area usually become swollen and appears reddish. If you try to touch it, it somehow feels warm.
- Weakness or loss of function: With a torn tendon, your foot may feel weak or lose stability. During this period, you may not be able to do your usual activities.
- Unusual sounds: You might hear or feel a snap or pop while you use it.
- Bruising: Having an injured tendon might cause rapid or immediate bruises on the affected part.
Some symptoms can help you identify the injury specifically.
- Achilles tendon rupture: Even though you can flex your toes downwards, it will not be possible to gain support from your tiptoes.
- Rotator cuff rupture: This happens in the arm, wherein you cannot move it out on your side.
- Biceps tendon rupture: It directly affects your elbow flexion and your ability to raise the arm while palm facing up.
In this case, let us discuss two of the most common problems you can encounter with your foot and ankle.
Posterior tibial tendon dysfunction
The posterior tibial tendon is a significant tendon that you can find in your leg. Its primary function is to hold up the arch of your foot and provide support while walking. When you overuse this tendon, it can lead to inflammation and tendon tear. That is when disorder occurs in the posterior tibial tendon. In effect, you will experience instability, and it may not provide support to arch your foot.
Posterior tibial tendon disorder usually happens in women. Aside from that, those who are above 40 in age are also prone to this condition. If you are obese, diabetic or with hypertension, you are more likely to have posterior tibial tendon injuries.
Achilles tendon conditions
There are several conditions associated with the Achilles tendon. Each of them differs in causes and symptoms, as well as their location in your foot.
- Achilles tendon tear
- Achilles tendon rupture
- Tendinitis (Tendonitis)
- Peritendonitis
- Tendinosis
- Tendinopathy
- Heel (calcaneal) bursitis
Treatment options may also vary in these conditions. Generally speaking, why don’t we discuss the treatment options applicable for foot tendon injuries.
Treatment options for foot tendon problems
Some injuries of the tendon may not require excessive treatment. It will only depend on the condition’s severity. Below are some of the treatment options that you can apply.
- Rest: Your injury may require you to take a break from the activities that caused the pressure in your tendon.
- Ice pack: Cold compress can help reduce the pain and swelling of your affected foot.
Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAID): These medicines act like ibuprofen to relieve pain and swelling after the injury.- Brace or cast: Applying this will provide support on your foot to keep it still while you are on your healing process.
- Orthotics: It is a kind of special support that you can insert into your shoes to regain your foot’s shape.
- Steroid (cortisone) injection: This treatment option reduces inflammation and pain from your tendon injury.
- Exercise and physical therapy: A physical therapist will guide you with the proper exercises to stretch and strengthen your muscles and tendons.
- Surgery: It will only take place if you have a ruptured tendon. Repair or replacement of tendon may be necessary if the pain and swelling are persistent.
Treatment option can vary depending on your condition. The doctor will know which choice is right for you.
Conclusion
A torn tendon in the foot can affect your daily activities. It would be best to do preventive measures to avoid these injuries. It may not be possible to prevent them entirely. However, lowering the risk would be better. You have to know your limitations and avoid exceeding it to prevent further damage and future injuries.
