Achilles Tendon
The achilles tendon, which connects the calf muscles to the heel bone, is the largest tendon in the body. It is the muscle that lets you rise up on your toes and push off when you walk or run.
Injuries to this tendon are generally caused by overuse and tend to be common in athletes. Injuries include:
Achilles tendonitis:
inflammation of the tendon, generally from chronic overuse Achilles tendon rupture:
a partial or complete tear of the tendon
What are the Symptoms?
Symptoms of Achilles tendonitis include:
Pain in the back of the heel. Pain may be mild or severe, and swelling may occur
Tenderness in the Achilles tendon area
Stiffness that goes away as the tendon warms up with use
Decreased strength and movement
The tendon may become enlarged
Symptoms of Achilles tear or rupture include:
A sudden, sharp pain that feels like a direct hit to the Achilles tendon. There may be a pop when the rupture occurs. This may be followed by swelling and bruising.
Heel pain (may be severe)
Not being able raise up on the toes with the hurt leg
What are the treatments for Achilles Tendon Disorder?
Treatments for more serious injuries such as Achilles tendon tears or ruptures can include long term immobilization or surgery. During immobilization, the injured tendon may reattach and heal. However, there is a greater risk of re-rupture than with surgery.
Surgery allows the orthopaedic surgeon to repair the ruptured tendon. The surgeon makes a single incision in the back of the leg and reattaches the ends of the tendon.
There are different treatments depending on condition which Dr.Kevin yip will advise during the consultation, if there is a need for a treatment or surgery.
What is Tendonitis?
A tendon is a flexible band of fibrous tissue. The tendon is the structure in our body that connects your muscles to the bones. The skeletal muscles in your body are responsible for moving your bones, thus enabling you to walk, jump, lift, and move in many ways. When a muscle contracts it pulls on a bone to cause movements. The structure that transmits the force of the muscle contraction to the bone is called a tendon.
Tendons come in many shapes and sizes. Some are very small, like the ones that cause movements of your fingers, and some are much larger, such as your Achilles tendon in your heel. When functioning normally, these tendons glide easily and smoothly as the muscle contracts.
Sometimes the tendons become inflamed for a variety of reasons, and the action of pulling the muscle becomes irritating. If the normal smooth gliding motion of your tendon is impaired, the tendon will become inflamed and movement will become painful. This is called tendonitis, and literally means inflammation of the tendon.