Inflammation or irritation of a tendon is referred to as tendinitis. Tendons, which are found in many different areas of the body, are thick, fibrous tissues that link muscles to bones. If tendons in your feet or ankles are affected, you’ll benefit from a visit to Tievsky Podiatry.
What Causes Tendinitis in the Foot Area?
Tendinitis tends to develop when a muscle within the foot area is stretched beyond its normal range of motion. As a result of this stretching, a tendon becomes inflamed, or swollen. When this happens, it can be difficult to walk, run, or do any other movements involving your feet or ankles. While anyone can be affected tendinitis, it tends to be more common in athletes or anyone who regularly runs or jogs. Tendonitis affecting feet and/or ankles may also be related to:
- Overuse of muscles within the foot/ankle area
- Jumping into a new exercise routine too quickly
- Anatomical alignment issues that don’t allow a tendon to move smoothly
Achilles Tendinitis
This is the most common type of foot-related tendinitis. It affects the large tendon located in the back part of the ankle. It’s a condition seen more common in middle-aged athletes who participate in sports on a recreational basis. In addition to pain and swelling in the affected area, Achilles tendinitis may produce symptoms that include:
- Pain felt along the back of the tendon that gets worse with movement or activity
- Severe discomfort that’s still felt a day or so after exercising
- Tight calf muscles
- Thickening of the affected tendon
- Reduced range of motion within the affected area
- Pain related to the formation of bone over-growths called bone spurs
Other Forms of Tendonitis We Treat at Tievsky Podiatry
Tendonitis can affect several parts of the feet and nearby structures in many ways. For this reason, we treat multiple forms of tendonitis at Tievsky Podiatry. These include:
- Extensor tendonitis: This type of tendonitis affects foot tendons that attach to muscles in the front of legs and top of the feet.
- Flexor tendonitis: This type of tendonitis affects foot tendons that attach to muscles in the back of legs and bottom of the feet.
- Peroneal tendonitis: This type of tendonitis affects the outer part of the ankle and foot.
- Posterior Tibial Tendonitis: This type of tendonitis affects the inner side of the ankle and foot.
If you believe your feet and/or ankles may be affected by tendinitis, visit Dr. Tievsky at Tievsky Podiatry for an evaluation. Should you have foot-related issues due to inflamed tendons, appropriate treatment and pain management recommendations can be made.
Contact our office today to schedule an appointment for an initial foot examination.