Posted on March 29, 2008 in Latest News
Tendons, a flexible band of fibrous tissue, come in many shapes and sizes. Some are very small, like the ones that cause movements of your fingers, and some are much larger, such as your Achilles tendon in your heel. When functioning normally, these tendons glide easily and smoothly as the muscle contracts.
Tendonitis is an inflammatory condition characterized by pain at tendinous insertions into bone. The term tendinopathy is a generic term used to describe a common condition affecting the tendons, which causes pain, swelling, or impaired performance. Because of the fact that most pain from tendon conditions is not actually inflammatory in nature, tendinopathy may be a better term than tendonitis.
Causes
Overuse is the most common etiology.
Physical work-related factors:
Tendonitis is aggravated by activities that repeatedly stress the tendon, causing inflammation. In some cases even prolonged periods of standing can cause symptoms. It is a common problem often experienced by athletes, particularly distance runners. Tendonitis is a difficult injury to treat in athletes due to their high level of activity and reluctance to stop or slow down their training.
Treatment
In mild cases of extensor tendonitis treatment consists of calf muscle stretching and oral anti-inflammatory medications. In more sever cases treatment may include a removable below the knee cast, calf muscle stretching and oral anti-inflammatory medications. Many podiatrists may also recommend long term treatment with inserts for the shoes called orthotics.
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