Tendonitis

Tendinitis is a common athletic injury, but you don’t need to play sports to develop the condition. Call a Capital Foot & Ankle office in Sacramento, Roseville, or Folsom, California, if you’re having difficulty doing your usual activities because of a painful tendon. Their team of dedicated foot doctors offers speedy assessments and advanced treatments to restore mobility. Call Capital Foot & Ankle today or book an appointment online for expert tendinitis treatment.

What is tendinitis?

Tendinitis is inflammation in the tendons, thick lengths of soft tissue connecting your muscles to your bones. Tendons are strong and tough, but overstretching the tissues can damage them. You might suffer an acute (sudden) tendon injury when exercising or during a sports activity. But most tendinitis develops gradually from repeated overuse.

Tendinitis can affect any tendon, but Achilles tendinitis is the most common in the foot and ankle. The Achilles is the large tendon at the back of your ankle, connecting the muscles in your lower leg to your heel bone. Achilles tendinitis is a common athletic injury.

What symptoms does tendinitis cause?

The symptoms of tendinitis include:

• Pain and/or stiffness in one or both calves
• Dull pain at the back of your heel
• Severe foot and/or leg pain after exercise
• Tenderness first thing in the morning
• Swelling, redness, or bruising

As tendinitis gets worse, you can develop ongoing leg or foot pain. This can affect your ability to work, play sports, and do everyday activities. Resting the injury and applying ice packs can ease mild tendinitis. But if your symptoms don’t improve, visit Capital Foot & Ankle.

How is tendinitis diagnosed?

To diagnose tendinitis, your Capital Foot & Ankle doctor reviews your medical records and asks about your symptoms. Tell them when you started experiencing problems, how severe your symptoms are, and what makes them worse.

Your foot doctor also completes a thorough physical exam. They press on your heels and calves to identify the painful areas. They also check the foot and ankle’s muscle strength, range of motion, and reflexes.

To examine the structures inside the foot and ankle, your doctor can do in-office X-rays or refer you for a CT scan or MRI.

How is tendinitis treated?

Tendinitis treatment usually begins with conservative approaches like anti-inflammatory medication (aspirin, ibuprofen, acetaminophen), ice packs, resting the leg, and physical therapy.

Capital Foot & Ankle also offers custom-fitted orthotics — specially designed shoe inserts that support the ankle and correct misalignments. An ankle support can reduce strain on the tendon.

You might benefit from ultrasound treatment to remove the damaged tissue if your symptoms don’t improve. If you have severe tendinitis and nothing else helps, you’ll probably need surgery to repair the tendon.

Call Capital Foot & Ankle today or book an appointment online for prompt, expert tendinitis treatment.