Do Torn Ankle Ligaments Require Surgery
Many torn ankle ligaments recover well with a short period of rest, ice, compression and elevation , followed by a physical therapy programme focussed on building the strength around your ankle and improving mobility or an Aircast boot for complete tears.
In more severe cases, such as a complete rupture, or if there is bone or cartilage damage, surgery may be necessary to restore strength and stability.
Recovery Time For Torn Tendon In Foot
Recovery Time For Torn Tendon In Foot Guide
A torn tendon is a form of soft tissue injury, caused by overuse or trauma to the affected area. Usually, a torn tendon in the foot occurs because of an uncontrolled or unexpected movement and while it is a common form of injury, it can be extremely painful. A torn tendon in the foot is a grade 3 strain, which means that the structure of the tendon has been completely ruptured. This is the most serious form of strain injury and will take longer to repair.
Treatment Options For Torn Foot Ligaments
The appropriate treatment for a torn ligament in the foot varies depending on the severity of the injury. Minor sprains resulting from small tears to your ligamentsoften referred to as grade Iwill generally heal on their own within a few weeks. Large tears to your foots ligaments, also known as grade II sprains, need more attention these moderately severe sprains usually require a splint or cast and can take up to eight weeks to heal. For both minor and moderate sprains, your doctor may provide you with crutches to help limit the pain as your foot heals.
The most severe injuries to the ligaments of the foot involve cases where the ligaments are completely torn or detached from the bones of the feet. For these grade III sprains, foot surgery may be the only suitable treatment.
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The Recovery Time For Torn Tendon In Foot
The recovery time for torn tendon in foot can be quite long and drawn out. A grade 2 moderate tendon injury has a four week average recovery time, and a grade three injury to the tendon can take considerably longer to heal and even longer to return to normal function. There are three main stages to any torn tendon recovery the first is the prevention of any further damage to the foot, the second is a reduction in the swelling and stiffness while the third stage is the regaining of normal function and movement. Physiotherapy can be extremely beneficial in helping the patient to reach stage three more rapidly.
How Can Capital Orthopaedics Help With A Torn Ligament
The team at Capital Orthopaedics is highly experienced at diagnosing and treating all ankle injuries.
Our consultant orthopaedic surgeons, led by internationally renowned surgeon Simon Moyes, work with top sports medicine professionals, physiotherapists and an in-house radiologist to ensure that you get the right diagnosis and most effective treatment.
All of the treatment plans are designed around your personal needs and lifestyle whether youre a professional sportsperson, a busy parent or an older person wanting to maintain your mobility.
Our aim is to get you back to your sports and everyday life with the least intervention, in the quickest time possible, and the lowest chance of re-injury or ongoing problems.
If you have injured your ankle and are suffering from ongoing symptoms, contact the team at Capital Orthopaedics here for more information or to book an appointment with one of our musculoskeletal experts.
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What Are Foot Tendon Injuries
The foot and ankle have several bones, ligaments and tendons that work together for better balance and movement. There are two tendons in the foot which we can refer to as the peroneal tendons.
The posterior tibial tendon is the tendon that attaches the calf muscle to the bones inside the foot. On the other hand, the Achilles tendon attaches the calf muscle to your heel. Both of these tendons are working to stabilize the foot and ankle. In effect, our daily functions will stay intact.
However, how can you identify that you have torn tendon in the foot? The following symptoms might help you.
How To Treat Tendonitis Yourself
Follow these steps for 2 to 3 days to help manage pain and to support the tendon.
- Rest: try to avoid moving the tendon for 2 to 3 days.
- Ice: put an ice pack on the tendon for up to 20 minutes every 2 to 3 hours.
- Support: wrap an elastic bandage around the area, use a tube bandage, or use a soft brace. You can buy these from pharmacies. It should be snug, not tight.
It’s important to take a bandage or brace off before going to bed.
When you can move the injured area without pain stopping you, try to keep moving it so the joint does not become stiff.
To help prevent further injury or pain, try to avoid:
- heavy lifting, strong gripping or twisting actions that make the symptoms worse
- playing sports, until the tendon has recovered
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Flat Foot Posterior Tibial Tendon Tear
The most commonly torn tendon in the adult foot and ankle population is the posterior tibial tendon. This is the tendon that goes down the inside of the ankle and allows your to go up on your toes and to push off when you walk. This tendon is commonly torn in women around 60 years of age and leads to a progressive flatfoot deformity. It can also occur with trauma, but most of the patients who have a posterior tibial tendon tear have a longstanding flatfoot, and then with repetitive loads over the years the tendon finally gives out. Once the tendon tears, the ligaments which connect the bones in your foot start to stretch out and the foot becomes progressively flat. Patients typically complain of an inability to walk on their toes. They walk with their foot pointed outside. They complain of pain and swelling on the inside of their ankle that makes walking any distance difficult. This is commonly misdiagnosed as a medial ankle sprain.
What Does A Foot Tendon Tear Feel Like
A torn foot tendon may feel like a rubber band snapping or it may feel like getting kicked in the shin. Dr. Hiram Carrasquillo states that when a tendon tears, the sensation can vary.
A torn ligament or tendon in the foot will likely feel swollen and achy after the injury. A torn or strained tendon is not necessarily completely detached. There can be a partial tear of some of the fibers. When a tendon tear occurs, the body deposits collagen in the damaged area to attempt to repair the tear. This may lead to an enlarged and tender area on the tendon where it was torn.
If a tendon is completely torn, it will likely retract and the muscle it is attached to will shorten. Once a tendon is completely torn, It must be surgically repaired quickly or it may be difficult to stretch it to reach the other end. There usually is less pain if a tendon completely tears because there is no longer stress on the injured area.
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Symptoms Of A Torn Ligament In The Foot
Torn ligaments can occur following a range of physical activities from dancing to snowboarding, and several common symptoms can help identify a torn ligament as the cause of your foot pain.
- Swelling and bruising will occur at the site of injury.
- Pain and tenderness are concentrated on the top, bottom or the sides of your foot near the arch.
- Pain intensifies when walking or during other physical activity.
- Inability to bear weight on the injured foot.
In order to correctly diagnose a torn ligament, your doctor will usually take an x-ray of your foot to confirm the location and severity of the injury.
How Do You Know You Have Tendonitis
Tendons are thick cords of tissue that attach muscles to bones. When these tendons become irritated or inflamed, its called tendonitis. Tendonitis causes acute pain, swelling, and tenderness in the affected joint, making it painful to move.
Any tendon can develop tendonitis, but youre more likely to develop it in joints that are most active during physical activities, like your elbow, heel, knee, shoulder, or wrist.
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Treating An Achilles Tear
Without proper healing of an Achilles tear, a persons ability to walk, jog, jump, and perform other high impact activity will be limited. A tear can be treated either with casting or with surgical repair. Cast treatment requires 6-8 weeks of non-weight bearing cast immobilization, followed by several weeks in a walking boot, to make sure the tendon is completely healed in proper position. Surgical repair of an Achilles can usually be performed through a small incision, and requires just 3-4 weeks non-weight bearing and an additional 2-3 weeks in a walking boot. Surgery results in a much quicker recovery and return to regular activities than non-operative treatment, and a slightly lower rate of re-rupturing the tendon. However, most studies show that at 1 year following the injury, functional results of cast treatment and surgical repair are about equal.
Can You Walk With A Torn Tendon In The Foot
The quick answer is yes, typically you can walk with a torn ligament or tendon in the foot. Walking may be painful but you can typically still walk.
For example, the Posterior Tibialis Tendon runs down the back of the shin, behind the middle bump of the ankle and to the bottom of the foot. It is tears, walking is still possible but it will probably hurt. The arch of the foot may not be supported which may lead to increased pain.
A torn tendon on the top of the foot would likely be painful but walking would still be possible. It is better to be evaluated right away to determine the extent of your injury. The use of crutches and a walking boot are recommended right away after the injury.
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Tendon And Ligament Tears: Types And Treatments
Finding out that you have a torn tendon or ligament can be concerning. At the word tear, many envision massive damage and inevitable surgery to repair it or stitch it up. And while surgery is, unfortunately, often the only treatment offered, the truth is, most tendon and ligament tears arent really extreme enough to require invasive orthopedic surgery as there are nonsurgical interventional orthopedic solutions for most tears.
The key to understanding whether or not you need surgery lies in which type of tendon or ligament tear you have. Your radiology report will reveal one of the following: partial tear, complete nonretracted tear, or complete retracted tear. Lets review each type in more detail.
Extracorporeal Pulse Activation Technology
EPAT is an FDA-approved treatment that uses sound pressure waves into your injured tendon. The waves trigger your bodys healing response, increasing blood flow and anti-inflammatory factors that help new tendon tissue grow.
If youre experiencing pain in your foot or ankle, contact a provider at Arlington/Mansfield Foot & Ankle Centers in Texas to learn if its tendonitis and what you can do about it. You can call the office most convenient to you to schedule or request an appointment online.
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How Is Foot Tendonitis Treated
In most cases, your healthcare provider will recommend at-home treatments such as RICE to manage foot tendon pain:
- Rest: Stop physical activity to avoid further damaging the tendons in your foot.
- Ice: Put an ice pack or cold compress on your foot for up to 20 minutes at a time. Dont apply ice directly to your skin.
- Compression: Reduce swelling by applying a compression bandage or wrap around the injured tendon.
- Elevation: Lift your foot into an elevated position, preferably above the level of your heart.
Once your healthcare provider diagnoses your injury, they may recommend additional treatments such as:
- Calf stretches or exercises.
- Orthotics to reduce pain and support your foot as you get back to physical activity.
- Physical therapy to regain range of motion, strength, stability and flexibility in your foot, ankle and calf.
- Soft cast or boot to immobilize your foot and let the tendons heal.
Common Reasons For Tendon Repair Surgery
Tendon repair is done to bring back normal movement to a joint. Tendon injury may occur anywhere in the body where there are tendons. The joints that are most commonly affected by tendon injuries are the shoulders, elbows, ankles, knees, and fingers.
A tendon injury may occur from a laceration that goes past the skin and through the tendon. A tendon injury is also common from contact sports injuries such as football, wrestling, and rugby.
According to the American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons, jersey finger is one of the most common sports injuries affecting the tendons. It may occur when one player grabs the jersey of another player and gets their finger caught on the jersey. When the other player moves, the finger is pulled, and in turn the tendon is pulled off the bone.
Tendon damage can also occur in rheumatoid arthritis, an inflammatory disease of the joints. Rheumatoid arthritis can involve the tendons, causing them to tear.
Generally, during tendon repair a surgeon will:
- make one or more small incisions in the skin over the damaged tendon
- sew the torn ends of the tendon together
- check the surrounding tissue to make sure no other injuries have occurred, such as injury to the blood vessels or nerves
- close the incision
- cover the area with sterile bandages or dressings
- immobilize or splint the joint so as to allow the tendon to heal
Anesthesia is used during tendon repair to prevent the patient from feeling pain during the surgery.
The types of anesthesia are:
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What Happens If You Tear An Ankle Ligament In Your Foot
A tear or sprain in a ligament is much more common that a tendon tear in the foot. Ankle sprains are the most common orthopedic injury. When you tear a ligament in the foot or ankle, there is usually immediate swelling. You can typically still stand on it. The severity and number of ligaments involved will impact the swelling and recovery.
Ligaments do not receive much blood supply. This makes the healing process slower than other injuries.
If you would like to learn more about ankle sprains, this video may help.
Ankle Ligament sprain and a foot tendon strain
Ufai Were Near And Here When You Need Us
Our team of physicians prides itself in offering the best foot and ankle care all within a professional and comfortable environment. We are pleased to provide the convenience of nine offices throughout Greater Los Angeles and Southern California.
Our West Los Angeles, Beverly Hills, Sherman Oaks, Manhattan Beach, Valencia, West Hills, Torrance, Santa Barbara, and Santa Monica Podiatry Locations offer full radiology service including, Physical Therapy, MRI, neurosensory nerve testing, ultrasound. This means you rarely need to visit multiple locations when tests or therapy are ordered. Our state-of-the-art surgical centers and physical therapy services are conveniently located within our Valencia and Santa Monica Podiatry locations and close to our other locations.
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What Are The Symptoms Of Tendon/ligament Tear Or Ruptures
Most people who sprain a ligament or strain a tendon know because it hurts. This is true of any ligament or tendon, whether it’s your ankle, wrist, or knee.
A severe sprain or strain is a tear. A complete tear is a rupture.
Certain ligament and tendon tears and ruptures have some telltale signs.
When you tear your ACL, the knee becomes unstable. It usually hurts to put any weight on it. Other symptoms of an ACL tear include:
- A popping sound or feeling in the knee at the time of injury.
- A great deal of pain.
- Inability to straighten the knee.
If you suspect any of these injuries, you should seek care as soon as possible.
What To Expect After Peroneal Tendon Repair Surgery
After surgical repair of your peroneal tendon, the best medicine is rest and foot elevation. It is essential to keep the weight off the foot. Your doctor may provide you with an ankle splint for added support.
You will return to our office in about two weeks to have your sutures removed. At that time, your ankle splint will be replaced by either a short cast or a splint known as a cam walker. You may begin bearing weight using the cam walker in about a month. Normal footwear can resume three to four months after surgery.
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Posterior Tibial Tendon Dysfunction
The posterior tibial tendon is a significant tendon that you can find in your leg. Its primary function is to hold up the arch of your foot and provide support while walking. When you overuse this tendon, it can lead to inflammation and tendon tear. That is when disorder occurs in the posterior tibial tendon. In effect, you will experience instability, and it may not provide support to arch your foot.
Posterior tibial tendon disorder usually happens in women. Aside from that, those who are above 40 in age are also prone to this condition. If you are obese, diabetic or with hypertension, you are more likely to have posterior tibial tendon injuries.
Look For The Signs And Take Action
Tendon tears have clear signs. Once the injury happens, identifying these symptoms is vital for a quick recovery. Full-thickness tears often require tendon repair surgery through minimally invasive means. Until the surgery date, non-surgical treatment can help manage the pain. Take action and see a doctor immediately. In due time, the tendon will be back to full strength.
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