Advanced Care for Patients with Ankle and Foot Tendonitis
Orthopedic specialists at University Hospitals offer comprehensive medical care for patients with tendonitis ankle and tendonitis foot. Our orthopedic team is highly skilled and experienced in treating even the most complex injuries – which is why our team has been selected by national organizations for expert foot and ankle care. University Hospitals has actually been chosen by NFL teams and the International Olympic Committee to care for the most elite athletes.
Tendons are strong cords of tissue that connect muscles to bones. When a tendon becomes inflamed or irritated, painful tendonitis can occur. In those that simply enjoy an active lifestyle, or in athletes of any skill level, tendonitis often occurs in the Achilles tendon, a tendon in back of the foot. Tendonitis is also common in the inner side of the ankle, called posterior tibial tendonitis, or outer side of the ankle and foot called peroneal tendonitis. For any type of ankle or foot tendonitis, our team can help diagnose and treat even the most complicated injury.
Minimally Invasive Arthroscopic Surgery to Treat Tendonitis
Generally, the initial treatment for tendonitis is conservative treatment including physical therapy, rest and anti-inflammatory medications. This course of treatment is often highly successful in ankle and foot tendonitis. If improvement is not seen after conservative tendonitis treatment, minimally invasive surgery may be recommended.
University Hospitals is one of the few health systems in the region that offers tendoscopy surgery to repair ankle or foot tendon damage. A tendoscopic procedure is like arthroscopic surgery and uses a small camera and special instruments. The scope is inserted through a tiny incision inside the sheath or tunnel that surrounds the tendon so that scar tissue can be removed or the tendon repaired.
University Hospitals is also one of only a few orthopedic specialists in the region specially trained to perform a newer procedure called Tenex. The advantage of this minimally invasive procedure is that the tendon repair is done with ultrasound guidance to both identify the injury and then use a tiny needle to repair the issue – all in one procedure. Additionally, with minimally invasive surgery there is less bleeding and scarring, quicker recovery and a faster return to normal activity.
Understanding Tendonitis Causes
Tendonitis can happen to anyone but it usually occurs in those who are more active, including athletes. Overuse and wear and tear are the main contributing factors to ankle and foot tendonitis. Other risk factors include injury from performing a new exercise or from too much exercise.
Tendon inflammation and weakened muscles can also lead to further ankle or foot injuries, such as a sprained ankle that can mean more time away from normal physical activities.
Expert Diagnosis and Conservative Treatment of Ankle and Foot Tendonitis
Our highly-trained orthopedic team at University Hospitals diagnoses tendonitis using clinical examination and identification of foot or ankle pain. Imaging tests may also be used to rule out more serious problems that could be causing the pain.
Tendonitis is a chronic injury that is usually slow to resolve, often requiring weeks to months for complete healing. To get you feeling pain-free and back to your active lifestyle, our trained orthopedic physical therapists engage you in an active step-by-step rehabilitation program, emphasizing heavy load exercise.
For fully successful tendonitis treatment, our therapists may use a range of therapies, including:
- Applications of ice or moist heat
- Splints or braces to limit movement
- Steroid injections to reduce inflammation and pain
- Stretching
- Tissue mobilization
- Topical gels
- Specialized taping including kinesiotape
- Specialized therapies including dry needling
Complementary Therapies to Stimulate Healing
Our orthopedic physicians and therapists are highly knowledgeable about leading-edge complementary therapies that may stimulate healing with tendonitis. These include:
- Platelet-rich plasma (PRP) injections
- Shock wave therapy
- Ultrasound dry needling
Contact Us for More Information about Ankle and Foot Tendonitis Treatment
If you have unidentified ankle or foot pain, or would like more information about our Tenex treatment of ankle and foot tendonitis, contact one of our team members at any of our convenient locations.