What is a tendon? This is a part of a human muscle, which is represented by connective tissue. Thanks to this, it can be attached to the skeleton. They can be long and short, wide and narrow, have different intricate shapes (ribbon-like, cord-like, rounded).
Tendon structure
Knowing the definition, you can try to imagine the appearance of this element of the human body. What is a tendon? These are compactly arranged parallel bundles of collagen and elastin fibers. Fibrocytes are located between the filaments. A feature is that fibrous elements predominate over cellular ones. This provides the entire structure with strength and low elongation.
Vessels and nerves enter the tendon from the side of the muscle or periosteum at the site of its attachment. With age, some disproportion is determined in relation to the muscular and tendon parts of the muscles. In a newborn, tendons are practically not developed, and until puberty, the process of increasing muscle mass goes in parallel with the growth of collagen fibers. Then, until the age of twenty-five, the tendon part actively grows. As we age, the fibers lose their elasticity and become more brittle.
Functionstendons
What is a tendon? This is the element that holds the muscle and attaches it to areas of the bone. They provide the functions of the musculoskeletal system:
- supporting, that is, they create support for organs and soft tissues, and also hold the overlying segments of the body;
- locomotor - as parts of a muscle, they are involved in moving a person in space; - protective - in a certain way they protect the neurovascular bundles and organs from damage.
The mechanical properties of tendons depend on their size and the ratio of collagen and elastin fibers. The wider the ligament and the more collagen it contains, the stronger it is. Conversely, the thinner and softer it is, the easier it is to deform.
Inflammation
Human tendons are subject to pathological processes, like any other structure of the body. There are several types of inflammatory diseases inherent in the tendons, which are accompanied by disorders of the musculoskeletal system.
- Tendinitis. It arises from prolonged constant tension of the tendon. At the same time, changes in the structure of the tissue develop, which can lead to tearing of this muscle fragment. This type of inflammation significantly reduces the strength of the tendons and increases the likelihood of ruptures. Tendinitis can be of infectious origin, when the infection is introduced either as a result of injury or with the flow of fluid through the body, such as blood or lymph. As a rule, athletes suffer from dystrophic tendinitis.
- Paratenonite. It is an aseptic inflammation of the fiber that surrounds the tendon. This pathology is usually associated with repetitive joint injuries. Blood flows into the space between the fascia and the tendon, and edema develops. After the first symptoms, this inflammatory focus is converted into fibrous tissue. The tendon loses mobility and movement becomes painful.
Stretching
What is a tendon? This is a combination of collagen and elastin threads in a certain ratio. If excessive force is applied to this anatomical formation, then tendon stretching is observed. This is the most common type of injury today. As a rule, it is observed in the knee and ankle joint with a sharp movement.
The strongest muscles of the human body are located on the legs, which means that their tendons are strong and must withstand significant loads. But sometimes there are unfortunate falls, spontaneous movements that provoke a strain of the tendons.
There are three degrees of stretching difficulty:
1. The first degree is a slight pain that increases with movement.
2. Second degree - severe pain with swelling of the injury site, muscle weakness and increased discomfort during exercise.3. The third degree is a complete or partial rupture of the tendon and, as a result, muscle contraction.
Rupture and damage to the tendons of the hand
The tendons on the hand are quite thin, but strong,therefore, they can only be damaged directly in case of injuries or injuries, for example, an accident at work, careless handling of building tools, and so on. The tendons of the hand and forearm are mainly damaged. Most often this is a group of flexors.
The tendons on the arm are closely intertwined with blood vessels and nerves, so often there is a combined lesion of these anatomical formations. To restore the integrity of the tissues resort to the help of surgeons. The operation is complex and lengthy, since it is necessary to sew not only the cut tendons, but also the nerves and blood vessels, and also to check whether the function of the hand has been preserved after all the manipulations.
Injury to the tendons of the fingers
Digital tendon injury is suspected when there is no active flexion of the phalanges or interphalangeal joints. This indicates that the pathological process is located in the area of the superficial and deep flexor of the fingers. X-rays are used to check the integrity of structures.
It is necessary to treat such injuries exclusively by surgery. An exception is fresh ruptures of the distal interphalangeal joints. In this case, you can do with immobilization for up to one and a half months. In the case of an open injury, you must first stop the bleeding, cover the wound with a sterile dressing and use a splint to fix it, and then resort to surgery anyway.
Rupture and damage to the tendons of the foot
The tendons on the leg also have three gradesDamage:
1. The first is a slight pain, swelling in the ankle joint. The victim is able to step on the foot. Discomfort disappears a few days after the start of therapy.
2. The second is swelling of the joint, sharp pain when moving.3. The third is a tendon rupture in the leg, large swelling of the joint, constant severe pain.
Rupture of the Achilles tendon, which attaches to the heel bone, appears due to strong tension. The separation is usually complete. The reasons can be considered a direct blow with a hard object in this area, or a sharp contraction of the triceps muscle of the lower leg. This injury is common in track and field athletes, especially runners.
Treatment for fresh tears is to apply a percutaneous suture to the tendon and apply a plaster cast. You will need to wear it for a whole month. Then it will be removed to remove the suture, and then the leg will be fixed again for another four weeks. If the gap is old, then the damaged tissues are removed, followed by plastic surgery.
Tendon pain
Rupture of the tendon is accompanied by sharp pain, but not only this type of damage can cause discomfort. Doctors have to deal with complaints of pain in the tendons every day.
Typically, tendinitis, tendinosis, or tenosynovitis is most common in these people. They can appear due to poor posture, sitting in an uncomfortable position, or lack of warm-up before sports activities. In addition, infectious diseases such as arthritis,which can also cause pain in the tendons. The presence of shortening of bone structures after fractures also contributes to the appearance of pain, since due to the asymmetrical distribution of the load, the he althy side wears out faster.
The presence of pain in the tendons affects the surrounding tissues. Unbearable pain occurs with deposits of calcifications, impaired mobility of the shoulder joint, tendinosis. The reason may also be excessive effort to perform any movement, at the limit of strength of the tendon. With prolonged intense exercise, fiber dystrophy and necrosis may develop.
