How Is Tendonitis Diagnosed
If self-care methods arenât effective after a few days or the resulting pain is severe and getting worse, itâs time to seek medical attention. The first step taken will be to make an official diagnosis of tendonitis. This is usually done by ruling out other possible foot problems, including fractures and damage to muscles and ligaments. Diagnosis typically involves a thorough examination of the affected are. Image tests may be done to determine the extent of damage to the tendon and whether or not there is joint damage.
Types Of Peroneal Tendon Injuries
Peroneal tendon injuries can affect a patients ability to walk or exercise without pain. Receiving treatment is necessary to prevent further degradation of the injury.
The peroneal tendon is not as well-known as the Achilles tendon. Because of this, patients may not know the cause of their pain and ankle instability.
Read below to find out if you need to visit Dr. Frankel to treat a peroneal tendon injury.
What Is The Treatment For Tendonitis Of The Foot And Ankle
Successful foot and ankle tendonitis treatment involves a strict protocol tailored to each person individually, based on tendon elasticity, foot type or foot structure, activity levels, and footwear. Below are the non-invasive and minimally invasive treatment options which may be prescribed individually or in combination.
It is important to note that depending on the severity and acuteness of the foot and ankle tendonitis, treatment may span from 4 weeks to 6 months. Progress is carefully monitored by Dr. Lobkova using diagnostic imaging and follow-up care. Start the conversation at Step Up Footcare today.
Dr. Nelya Lobkova is an ABPM certified Surgical Podiatrist and founder of Step Up Footcare in TriBeCa New York City.
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Can Foot Tendonitis Lead To A Tendon Rupture
Severely overstretching or a sudden injury to a tendon can lead to a rupture, causing the tendon to partially or fully break. A tendon rupture in your foot needs medical attention. Talk to your healthcare provider if you:
- Cant put weight on your foot.
- Cant move your foot in a certain direction.
- Have severe foot pain.
- Noticed a snapping or popping sensation in your foot at the time of injury.
Tennis Or Golfers Elbow

Lateral epicondylitis, commonly called tennis elbow, causes pain when a person bends their wrist outwards. This pain may radiate down towards the wrist.
Medial epicondylitis, or golfers elbow, causes pain when bending the wrist towards the inside. The pain is more acute when trying to lift against a force.
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What Types Of Foot And Ankle Tendonitis Are There
The common types of foot and ankle tendonitis are:
Achilles Tendonitis: Pain along the back of the foot.Peroneal Tendonitis: Pain along the outside of the foot or ankle.Anterior Tibial Tendonitis: Pain over the top of the foot or ankle.Posterior Tibial Tendonitis: Pain along the inside of the foot or ankle.Extensor tendonitis: Pain over the top of the foot or ankle.Flexor Tendonitis: Pain on the bottom of the foot or the inside of the ankle.
What Is Extensor Tendonitis
If you spend a lot of time on your feet or are wearing shoes that are too tight, you may have pain across the top of your foot. This could be a sign of Extensor Tendonitis.
There are two main extensor tendons that connect to your foot, the hallucis longus and the extensor digitorum the first responsible for your ability to raise your big toe and the second for your other four. Both run down the front of the ankle, across the top of your foot.
Just like all the other forms of tendonitis we discussed, the best thing you can do to allow your extensor tendons to heal is to rest, massage the area and ice it periodically. In severe cases, you may need steroid injections in tandem with physical therapy.
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What Is Achilles Tendonitis
If you have pain above the back of your heel, especially when you stretch your ankle or stand on your toes, you may have the most common form of tendonitis, Achilles. If you play a sport or participate in an activity where you quickly speed up, slow down or pivot, this may be your culprit.
Achilles tendonitis is inflammation of the Achilles tendon, the largest tendon in your body. It stretches from the bones of your heel to your calf muscles and is the thing that lets you point your toes down or rise to your tiptoes.
If this tendon ruptured, your pain may be severe. In order to avoid this level of strain, an Achilles injury may involve months of resting, icing, compression, stretching and strengthening exercises.
What Is Tendonitis In The Foot
Tendons are tissue cords in your body that attach muscles to bones. When your tendons become damaged and cause irritation or inflammation, its called tendonitis. Tendonitis causes acute pain, swelling, and tenderness in the affected area. This can make it painful or difficult for you to move.
Tendonitis most commonly happens after the repeated incorrect use of a part of the body. In the case of foot tendonitis, your Achilles tendon and other tendons that connect your foot to the bones in your lower leg become injured.
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Weve Got Your Diagnosis
Depending on your injury, other conditions could have very similar symptoms as tendonitis. For example, you might assume your heel pain is an injury to your Achilles tendon, but really, it could be a sprain or a condition called Plantar Fasciitis. Or, runners, in particular, could have one of these injuries or conditions.
Dont play guessing games. Our team at Foot & Ankle Group can help you put a name to your problem and advise you on the best path to recovery.
Give us a call at 239.936.5400 to make an appointment, today.
Tendonitis Symptoms In Foot And Ankle
Pain is the most common symptom for tendonitis because it tends to be the most prevalent and the one to develop most obviously. The pain is usually localized and may dissipate or lessen over time, but it will return the longer you stay on your foot or ankle. Pain is usually accompanied by swelling, tenderness, and stiffness.
The combination of these symptoms can become debilitating, especially for those who are often quite active daily. Athletes may not be able to perform at their peak because of the pain, and others who need to remain on their feet throughout the day may have a difficult time doing so because of the tendonitis symptoms. Rather than find ways of coping with the pain and discomfort, seek the medical attention of a professional foot and ankle specialist such as ours at the Rogers Foot & Ankle Institute in Utah County.
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What Is Foot Tendonitis
Foot tendonitis is inflammation or irritation of a tendon in your foot. Tendons are strong bands of tissue that connect muscles to bones. Overuse usually causes foot tendonitis, but it can also be the result of an injury.
Are there different types of foot tendonitis?
Your feet contain many tendons. Tendonitis can affect any of them, but the most common include:
- Achilles tendonitis: Affects the tendon connecting your calf muscle and heel bone. This tendon is the strongest tendon in the body. It helps us run, jump, walk and do other activities that require us to rise up on our toes.
- Extensor tendonitis: Irritation of the tendon that runs along the top of your foot. These tendons attach bones at the front of your leg to your toes.
- Peroneal tendonitis: Inflammation in either of the two tendons that run along your outer ankle bone. They connect to your midfoot and your arch to help with stability.
- Posterior tibial tendonitis: Affects the tendon that connects your calf muscle to bones on the inside of your foot. These tendons help hold up the arch of your foot.
- Plantar fasciitis: Pain at the underside of your heel and within the arch of your foot. While this is technically not a tendon but a ligament, it can produce the same type of painful conditions that present like tendonitis, with similar treatment approaches.
Types Of Tendonitis In The Foot

The most common types of foot tendonitis are:
Achilles tendonitis
The Achilles tendon is the large tendon that attaches the back of your heel to your calf muscle. Achilles tendonitis usually occurs one to four inches above the area where your Achilles attaches to your heel bone. This is the weakest part of the tendon and the location where tendon tears typically occur.
Extensor tendonitis
Extensor tendons run along the top of your foot. Tendonitis in this location is often caused by your foot rubbing against your shoe. It can also be caused by less common inflammatory conditions such as rheumatoid arthritis. If your feet have high arches, they are more vulnerable to the shoe friction that causes this type of tendonitis.
Flexor tendonitis
Flexor Tendonitis usually causes a profound pain deep in the back of your ankle near the inside of your foot. This type of tendonitis is common in dancers or those who are required to do a lot of balancing on their toes.
Peroneal tendinosis
The tendons of the peroneal muscle wrap around the outside of your foot and down towards your ankle. Pain and possibly swelling can occur here and in the area just below and above it.
Posterior tibial tendonitis
This type of tendonitis is usually associated with people who have flat feet. The tendon of your tibialis posterior muscle wraps around the inside of your foot. That area of your foot is where pain and swelling can be felt.
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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
Your Podiatrist In Frisco Can Properly Diagnose Your Achilles Tendonitis
If youre experiencing pain or discomfort in the area of your Achilles tendon, dont take any chancescontact a podiatrist. With early intervention and proper treatment, you stand a better chance of keeping your Achilles healthy for the long run. Youll also be more likely to avoid chronic pain and a tear or rupture that would require a more serious surgical procedure.
Contact Dr. Verville at RNV Podiatry in Frisco to schedule an appointment by calling .
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What Is Tibial Tendonitis
Do you have pain in the inner part of your foot or ankle? If you recently suffered from an ankle sprain, you are more likely to have this tendon issue, Posterior Tibial Tendonitis, as opposed to others.
Your posterior tibial muscle attaches to the back of the shin bone, and this tibial tendon connects it to the bones of your foot. It attaches to the bone on the inner side of your foot, next to the arch, which is why this type of tendon problem usually affects the inside of your ankle.
There are four stages to the posterior tibial condition, progressing from some swelling and discomfort all the way to a deformity called adult acquired flat foot deformity and resulting rigid ankle issues. Catching this injury early and treating it with arch-supportive footwear, rest and anti-inflammatory medications can ease the recovery process and stop the injury from escalating into a chronic condition.
Fight The Pain With Relief From Dr Meredith Warner
If you are struggling with pain from tendonitis, dont lose hope! You can find relief with surgeon-designed technology.
Dr. Meredith Warner is a practicing orthopedic surgeon who helps patients recover from foot pain every day.
Dr. Warner knows that the body is built to recover naturally and created The Healing Sole and Well Theory as an alternative to expensive, invasive, chemical-laden treatment.
The Healing Sole is purposefully-designed to allow the muscles, tendons, ligaments and fascia of the feet to heal naturally.
A firm rocker bottom sole protects the feet, offloads stress, and gently stretches the muscles of the feet and lower legs as you walk.
This is paired with a raised arch for support, aninner heel compression for stress relief, and a metatarsal bar to help alleviate tension at the forefoot.
A few hours of wear each day is all you need to help fight off pain!
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What Are Foot Tendon Tears
- Posterior tibial tendon. The posterior tibial tendon attaches the calf muscle to the bones of the inside of the foot. It holds up the arch of the foot and supports the foot during walking. A tear to this tendon is usually from a fall. But it can also be injured from overuse. This is most common in athletes who put a lot of stress on the ankle during sports like basketball or soccer. The anterior tibial tendon runs from the shin to the top of the foot. Injuries to this tendon are much less common than to the posterior tibial tendon.
- Peroneal tendons. The two peroneal tendons run down the outer part of your lower leg and behind your ankle bone on the outside of the foot. One tendon attaches to the middle of your foot on the outside. The other attaches to the bottom of your foot near the arch. Tears in these tendons are usually caused by an ankle sprain or a blow to the ankle. It can also be caused by overuse, usually in athletes who repeat movements that put stress on the ankle.
- Achilles tendon. The Achilles tendon connects the calf to the heel bone and is important for walking, running, and jumping. It is the largest tendon in the body. It can tear if sudden high stress is put on it, especially if the calf muscle is stiff or weak and cant take its share of the stress. For example, the Achilles tendon can tear when a sprinter pushes off at the start of a race.
Common Symptoms Of Tendonitis
Pain is often the first sign of tendonitis. But since foot and ankle pain could indicate anything from a sprain to arthritis, identifying the cause behind your pain isnt always easy.
Tendonitis pain is unique because it comes and goes. If you have tendonitis, pain is generally worse after youve been resting. You might notice stiffness in your foot and ankle or sharp pain when you take your first steps in the morning. Pain may also be worse when you stand after sitting for a prolonged period of time.
Pain dissipates as you continue your activity, but then it often reappears if youve been on your feet for too long. Some people notice a consistent, dull ache, while others notice visible swelling in the foot or ankle. The tendon may also be sensitive to touch.
Where you feel pain depends largely on which tendon is affected. A few of the most common types of foot and ankle tendonitis are:
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How Can You Treat Tendonitis At Home
You can treat some cases of extensor tendonitis at home. Rest the affected foot for two to three days. Use it as little as possible to give the tendons a break.
While you are resting your foot, put ice on it for 20 minutes every two or three hours.
Wrap an elastic bandage around the injured area to reduce inflammation, or use a brace. Make sure the bandage or brace is not too tight and take it off before you go to sleep.
Try loosening your shoelaces or trying different shoes to see if that helps. You can also add some padding under the tongue of your shoe before you return to activity.
When To See A Doctor

If you try the above relief methods and are still experiencing pain after a week of mindful care, its probably best to see a podiatrist.
A trained professional will be able to determine the tendon at fault and help to create a custom treatment plan so your acute injury doesnt progress into a long-term, chronic issue.
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Tendinitis: Types Of Tendinitis Causes And Treatment
Are you experiencing foot pain near a joint that worsens with movement? You could be suffering from tendinitis. Tendinitis is inflammation or irritation of a tendonthe thick, fibrous cords that connect your muscles to your bones. The condition can cause dull, aching pain, tenderness, and mild swelling around a joint and can affect your ability to partake in certain activities.
In this article, well be discussing the various types of tendinitis, what causes them, and, most importantly, how they can be treated so you can get back to doing all of the things you love. Lets get started.
What causes tendinitis?
Tendonitis typically develops as the result of a sudden injury or repetitive movement over time. Any tendon can develop tendinitis, but its most likely to manifest in your feet, ankles, knees, wrists, and elbows, as these tendons are most commonly involved in repetitive activities. Tendinitis often develops in those whose jobs or hobbies involve repetitive movement, such as gardening, playing tennis, working on a computer, or playing a musical instrument.
Common types of tendinitis
Achilles tendinitis
The Achilles tendon is the main tendon of your foot, running from your calf muscle to your heel. This type of tendinitis causes pain, swelling, and stiffness in the back of the heel or slightly above the ankle. Its common among those who play sports, especially if an individuals activity level has recently increased.
Posterior tibial tendinitis