It's no secret that the tendon in the foot plays a determining factor in a person's physical activity, and if something happens to it (inflammation, sprain or rupture), it significantly limits our freedom of action. That is why information about why this happens, how to avoid it, and how to treat such an ailment is very relevant.
What is a tendon and what are its main functions
The tendon in the leg is a formation of connective tissue that attaches to bone and muscle. Their main function is to ensure the normal placement and stable performance of all organs. In addition, they direct the movement of the joints. As a rule, the concept of "stretching" is not entirely true, since the tendons themselves cannot be stretched due to the fact that they do not have the necessary elasticity and predisposition to this. In fact, there is a complete or partial rupture.
Causes of tendon injury
According to statistics, pain in the tendons of the legs occurs for the following reasons:
- Various falls;
- Sharp turns of the foot when driving over rough terrain. It is also worth considering that half of the complaints of torn ligaments come from women after walking fast in heels.
- Intensive sports;
- Wearing uncomfortable shoes;
- Arthritis;
- Congenital weak tendons;
- Non-standard placement and, accordingly, further uneven development of the components of the musculoskeletal system. In plain language - different lengths of limbs.
- Diseases of the musculoskeletal system;
- Various infections.
Furthermore, a torn tendon in the leg is often referred to as a "sports disease" as almost 70% of requests come from athletes.
Types of sprains
As practice shows, the causes of stretching are divided into 2 types. And if the first type (degenerative) includes those caused by tendon wear that occurs due to aging of the whole organism and, most often, are diagnosed in people over 40 years old, then the second type (traumatic) includes ruptures that occur as a result of various falls, sudden movements or lifting of excessive weight. A distinctive feature of the latter type of sprains is that they occur suddenly and are characterized by severe pain.
There is also a division into categories depending on the violations inflicted by eachseparate bundle.
Symptoms
A tendon strain on the leg is manifested as follows:
- Severe pain both at rest and during the performance of not very complex actions;
- Fairly limited movement near the source of pain (unable to flex or extend the leg);
- Rise in temperature;
- Bluish skin tone;
- Changing the outer contour of the joint, located in close proximity to the probable site of sprain;
- Various puffiness;
- Sound accompaniment (clicking, crunching) during an attempt to make a movement with an injured leg;
- A feeling of tingling and numbness in the area where you are experiencing pain.
But it should be borne in mind that the symptoms indicating that the tendons on the legs hurt may also have their own specific signs inherent in each specific type of rupture.
Meniscus injuries
As a rule, a tendon rupture in the leg, accompanied by a fracture, is one of the main symptoms of a meniscus injury. Most often, such problems occur in athletes, which brings them a sufficient number of problems. But due to the similarity of symptoms, it is not always possible to immediately make the correct diagnosis. Its only distinguishing feature is the strongest pain when trying to straighten the bent leg.
Ankle Sprain
About ankle injuriesthe strongest edema testify, and when the weight of the body is transferred to the injured leg, a sharp pain occurs, which increases with movement. In addition, if injury is suspected, a drawer test may be required. In this case, the lower leg is firmly held down with one hand, and in the meantime, with the help of the second hand, they very gently press on the foot from behind, achieving its displacement forward. If the initial diagnosis is correct, then it will change its location without much effort. There is also a high probability of detecting blood in the bruised area.
Remember, a sprained tendon in the leg can be subtle (usually resolves within a few days) or severe (in which case immediate medical attention is required).
Diagnosis
As a rule, to complete the picture, the doctor conducts an initial survey of the patient about what exactly happened to him and what feelings he experienced at that moment. If a person complains of pain in the tendons of the legs, then a he althy leg is examined first. This is done in order to familiarize the patient with the examination procedure itself and in the future, when the turn comes to the sore leg, he is already subconsciously ready for what will follow. As a result, the patient relatively calmly perceives all the manipulations of the doctor. Also, this approach allows the doctor to compare the results that he obtained during the examination of the patient's legs, which will greatly facilitate the diagnosis in the future.
In addition, additionalstudies to finally confirm or refute the initial diagnosis. These include:
- Computed tomography, which allows not only to confirm the diagnosis, but also to track the effectiveness of the treatment.
- Magnetic resonance imaging. This type of examination allows you to get very accurate information not only about which particular tendon on the leg is damaged, but also how many fibers are torn.
- X-ray examination. Its use allows you to identify the possibility of developing complications (fractures and dislocations).
- Ultrasound examination of a damaged organ.
First aid in case of a torn tendon in the leg
As practice shows, when such a nuisance happens, the nearest medical facility is located at a distance of several kilometers. Therefore, in order for further treatment to be successful and without possible complications, it is necessary to provide the victim with first aid, which includes the following manipulations:
- Releasing the sore foot from shoes and socks, which will reduce pressure on the swollen area.
- Maintaining rest of the injured area, which will allow a little distraction from the fact that the tendons in his legs hurt.
- Creating a special backing from a fabric folded several times and placing it under the damaged area.
- Raising the leg to the highest possible height (usually up to the heart area), which improves blood flow several times.
- Applying to the damaged area of ice or a piece of cloth previously soaked in cold water. But, if the situation allows, it is better not to resort to the latter option. A piece of ice is recommended to be placed on top of a dry tissue in order to exclude soft tissue necrosis, which may occur due to severe frostbite. Ice should be applied in the first two hours after injury with an interval of 20 minutes. Further, two hours will be enough during the first day.
Remember that the speed of further recovery may depend on how these procedures are carried out. In addition, with intense pain, it is recommended to take painkillers.
Trendon Treatment
Depending on the degree of stretching, various therapeutic measures are prescribed. For example, a partial rupture of the ligaments (grade 1) requires conservative treatment, in which a special bandage is applied to the damaged area with an elastic bandage, which limits the mobility of the joints. The period of wearing it varies from 3 to 5 days. In addition, drugs that relieve inflammation may be prescribed. If, for example, the tendon of the big toe is torn, then the patient is instructed to use a special toe retainer and, if necessary, anesthetic injections. In addition, to increase the outflow of venous blood, it is recommended to smear the damaged area with Troxevasin gel.
With fairly pronounced pain, swelling and limited joint movement (2degree), immobilization of the joints should be longer (up to two weeks). In addition, it is best to keep the leg in an elevated position for the first 3 days. As already mentioned, ice should only be applied for the first 24 hours. The gel can be used the same as in the previous case.
If, after the injury, very severe pain is observed, the inability to make even the slightest movement of the joint (grade 3), then in this case it may be necessary to apply a cast or even surgery on the tendon of the leg. The period of immobilization of the leg can last more than a month (depending on the severity of the injury). Pain pills and injections are taken during this time.
What could be the consequences
As a rule, the prognosis after treatment is quite favorable if therapy was started on time. Otherwise, the tendon on the leg may almost completely cease to perform its function, which, in turn, will seriously affect the mobility of a person.
Recovery exercises
In order to restore joint mobility after an injury, at the end of therapeutic measures, special restorative procedures are prescribed, which include:
- Walking in comfortable shoes, but it should occur with a soft roll from heel to toe. Particular attention should be paid to the fact that you do not need to turn the sock out very much.
- Half squats on toes with a further rise of the toes and their subsequent return to the initialposition.
- In addition, it is worth taking the time to do certain exercises in the water, as in these conditions it is possible to develop a damaged tendon without loading it with excess weight.
The main thing is to understand that with timely access to the appropriate medical institution, both the treatment process and subsequent rehabilitation can be minimized.
