Tendon Tears (Ruptured Tendons) Disorders and Treatment Options for Southfield and Wyandotte Patients.
What is Tendon Tears or Rupture?
A tendon is a tissue that connects the muscle to the bone. It has a fibrous nature. A tendon is usually subjected to forces that are five times greater than the weight of your body. Tendons usually rupture or snap-in rare conditions. Some of the conditions that cause rupturing of a tendon include diseases such as hyperparathyroidism or gout, Type O blood, and injecting a tendon with steroids.
Tendon rupture may be a rare condition, but when it happens, it causes intense pain. If left untreated, then the individual may be at risk of disability. The signs and symptoms of a ruptured tendon vary. However, they may be treated with surgical or non-surgical methods. The mode of treatment depends on the severity of the condition.
What is the Cause of Tendon Tears?
Tendon rupture is more prevalent in middle-aged or older individuals. In the young person, the muscle will first of all tear before the attached tendon does. However, in the elderly and in people with underlying diseases, tendon ruptures occur more frequently.
- Major causes of tendon rupture include:
- Trauma
- Old age: As a person gets older, the blood supply reduces. This implies that blood going to the tendon is reduced, resulting in a gradual weakening of the tendon.
- Eccentric loading. This involves contraction of the muscle when it is stretched in the opposite direction. Eccentric loading increases the stress that is placed on the tendon.
- Injection of steroids into the tendon. This method is sometimes used to treat severe tendonitis.
- Some antibiotics, like fluoroquinolones, may cause tendon rupture, or increase the risk of it. The Achilles tendon is most susceptible.
- Rupture of the quadriceps tendon may be due to:
- Trauma to the knee, just above the knee cap.
- Old age. This causes a reduction in blood supply to the tendon.
What are the Symptoms of Tendon Tears?
If you experience the following signs and symptoms after an injury, then you may have a ruptured tendon:
- An audible pop or snap
- Pain – very severe
- Immediate or rapid bruising
- Weakness
- Inability to make use of the affected leg or arm
- Deformity of the affected region
- Inability to bear the weight
- Deformity of the area
How do Podiatrist Treat Tendon Tears or Ruptured Tendons?
Partial tears of the quadriceps may be treated without surgery by placing the patient’s legs in an immobilizer or a cast. Your provider will determine the duration of your treatment.
Once you can raise the treated leg without any feeling of discomfort, then you can safely put away the immobilization.
For the Achilles tendon, your podiatrist will treat the rupture without surgery by immobilizing the foot. Immobilizing the affected foot will involve pointing the sole of the foot downward for a predetermined length of time.
The prognosis for nonsurgical and surgical treatment varies with the severity and location of the rupture.
Surgical treatment, alongside physical therapy, can restore normal strength.
Nonsurgical treatment is most effective for partial rupture of the tendon. This will be done with great care by a podiatrist near Southfield and Wyandotte. The risk of infection is drastically reduced, while recovery doesn’t take long.
How do I prevent Severe Tendon Tears?
Call a podiatrist near you if you hear a pop or feel a snap. Also, call your doctor if you experience some extreme pain, you bruise rapidly or immediately after an accident, and if you feel you cannot use the affected leg or arm. These signs may indicate a tendon rupture.
Be sure to call on the emergency department whenever you have an injury that results in extreme pain, a snap or a pop. Other symptoms that may necessitate a visit to the podiatrist include being unable to bear weight, inability to move the affected area, and deformity of the affected part of the body.
Because no one knows your body more than you do, if you experience any symptoms of tendon tears or Ruptured tendons, then the best step to take is to be conservative and evaluate the symptoms.