Could You Have Tendonitis?

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What exactly is tendonitis? Is it ongoing pain in the lower leg? A feeling of strain when moving a foot? Difficulty walking? A swollen ankle, maybe? Well, any of these symptoms could be pointing to tendonitis - or your pain could be caused by something entirely different. Let’s define what tendonitis is and then take a look at some different types - and how all of us at Affiliated Foot & Ankle Center can help you recover.

Tendonitis is an inflammation of a tendon. It helps to remember what a tendon is, in case it’s been a while since your last anatomy class. Tendons are soft tissue that connects bones to muscles. They’re responsible for your ability to move your foot in different directions. When that movement is impeded, you’ve got pain.

Your feet contain a number of tendons including

·         The Achilles tendon allows us to stand on our toes. It plays a big role in jumping, walking, and running.

·         The posterior tibial tendon. Thank the PTT for your ability to turn your foot inward and for helping to support your arch.

·         The peroneal tendons run alongside your outer ankle and serve to stabilize the entire foot and ankle.

That’s not all! There are many other tendons that help us to turn our foot outward, bend and straighten our toes, and raise our foot onto our heel.

How a tendon gets inflamed

  1. Sudden increase in activity. If you’re a person who hasn’t exercised in a while who suddenly decides to go out and run 5 miles, tendonitis is a real risk!
  2. Repetitive injury - the same sort of exercise done over and over can promote inflammation. That goes for repetitive work activity as well.
  3. An existing anatomical problem such as overpronation (a tendency for the foot to roll inward when you walk or run).
  4. Traumatic injury.

Diagnosis and Treatment

Our podiatrists Dr. Samantha Boyd, Dr. Hal Ornstein, and Dr. Joseph Saka use the latest digital x-ray, diagnostic ultrasound, and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Results are available instantly, so a diagnosis of tendonitis is quick and treatment can begin right away. Treatment can include

·         corrective orthotics

·         rest and icing

·         physical therapy (we have a physical therapist on staff)

·         immobilization (casts, walking boots, night splints)

We have many years of experience treating tendonitis and other problems of the foot and ankle. Call us at (732) 905-1110 to make an appointment at one of our Monmouth County offices in Howell or Jackson, New Jersey.