Tendons connect the forearm muscles to the bones in the fingers, allowing the fingers to bend or straighten. Tendons have a weak blood supply, which contributes to their potential for damage as well as their slower-than-average rate of healing.
Disruption or irritation to the soft-tissue component that aids in joining muscle to bone is referred to as a tendon injury. Most injuries happen in close proximity to joints.
Based on whether the tendon is damaged, flexing or straightening the fingers may be difficult. A partially damaged tendon prohibits movement totally, but a tendon injury can make mobility more challenging.
In this situation, surgery will be required to regain function. In addition to tight or unpleasant finger mobility, tendon injuries can also cause swelling and tenderness.
Chronic tendon injuries are frequently reported to primary care physicians, and they significantly impact a patient's capacity to work, exercise, and conduct ordinary daily activities.
Since the majority of these ailments are brought on by overuse, patients may get better with rest, the right kind of protection, and activity adjustment. Individuals with chronic medical conditions that last longer than six weeks frequently need additional care to return to full, pain-free functioning.
Untreated tendon injuries can result in decreased function, protracted disability, joint destabilization, and arthrosis down the road. The surgeon must be aware of all the complexities involved in treating acute and chronic tendon injuries to determine the patient's quickest return to functionality and help avoid these complications.
On the hand, there are different sorts of tendons: flexor tendons and extensor tendons.
Flexor tendons connect the finger bones on the hand part of the hand to the flexor muscles in the forearm. Your fingers' ability to bend is due to your flexor tendons. Every finger has 2 flexor tendons, and every thumb has one.
The fingertips and back of the hand are covered in flexor tendons. These tendons allow the fingers, hand, and wrist to bend while also attaching the forearm muscles to the wrists.
Even a minor cut to the thumb or extender tendons on the back of the hand might impair tendon functioning (flexor tendons).
A sudden injury can result in tendinitis. However, the most likely reason is repeating the same movement again over time. The majority of persons who get tendinitis do so because their occupations or hobbies require them to perform activities that strain their tendons repeatedly.
Tendinitis is more common in individuals who work in repetitive motions, awkward postures, forceful motions, and so on, such as landscapers and manual laborers. Tendons become less flexible as people age, making them more vulnerable to injury.
Some other causes of tendon injuries include -
The most frequent method for diagnosing acute tendon injuries is to combine a detailed medical history with a physical examination. It is important to have a high index of suspicion for tendon injury when screening a patient who has experienced lower extremity trauma since even small trauma can induce substantial tendon stress.
It's vital to understand that while imaging studies can be helpful in diagnosing the type of tendon injury and determining the extent of damage, the preliminary diagnosis of tendon injury is typically made by careful assessment of the muscular function of the affected part.
Surgery is usually only advised for the tendon's full or extremely severe partial rips. When it comes to treating complicated tendon injuries, surgery becomes essential.
In the majority of tendon repair procedures, the following phases take place:
While the tendon recovers, tension can be reduced with a splint or similar treatment for complex tendon injuries. The tendon will fracture and re-tear if there is excessive tension on it.
The surgeon may not be able to suture the tendon back together because it is too short. If so, the surgeon will transplant an additional tendon segment between the ends to bring them together.
Typically, the surgeon will use strong tendon tissue from another area of the patient's body for the graft. When a tendon is damaged, the surgeon can restore function by cutting a tendon nearby and stitching it into the broken tendon's position.
A step-by-step management strategy is essential to prevent annoyance and frustration throughout what is always a lengthy process. It's critical to make the right diagnosis. To prevent aggravation, activity should be changed, and a suitable rehabilitation program to improve the area is needed.
You should choose to strengthen exercises to get the pain under control and resume your daily activities. Eccentric workouts make use of a tendon and a muscle across their entire length in functional ability. In this case, you should seek the advice of a professional physiotherapist.
Here are the following tips you should follow to prevent complex tendon injuries -
Ease down - Avoid prolonged or strenuous activities that put too much strain on your tendons. If you get pain when exercising, stop and take a break.
Shake things up - Try a different exercise or activity if one hurts you. You can spice up your high-impact activity by cross-training.
Make improvements in movement - You may put yourself at risk for tendon issues if you do an activity or workout incorrectly. When learning a new sport or using fitness equipment, think about taking classes or getting advice from an expert.
Stretch well - After exercising, extend the range of motion in all of your joints. After the workout, it is the ideal time to stretch when your muscles are heated up.
Prep your muscles - Muscles utilized in your sport or activity can carry more weight more effectively by being stronger.
Prolozone Treatment - Prolozone Therapy is a type of prolotherapy that involves putting nutrients and oxygen in an active state into a damaged tendon. It aids in promoting the development of fibroblasts, which produce the collagen required to heal and reinforce damaged tendon tissue.
Meds: In the acute stage, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory medications, such as ibuprofen, can aid in reducing inflammation.
Rest and cold packs - These are only recommended in the acute period of the accident if there is still pain and bruises.
Use a splint - A splint can aid in immobilizing the joint connected to the injured tendon and speed up recovery.
Physical treatment: To relieve strain on the injured tendon and promote healing, a physical therapy program will assist in strengthening the muscles that are connected to the injury.
Platelet-rich plasma (PRP) - It is a form of an injection that requires extracting a sample of blood and extracting the red and white blood cells through the plasma. Growth factors are abundant in plasma and can aid in repairing injured bodily tissue.
Shockwave therapy: This treatment for complex tendon injury uses a machine to send shockwaves into the injured tendon. Injuries that are having a hard time mending on their own can benefit from the stimulation of the recovery process.
A problematic issue is always chronic tendon damage. No 'fast remedy' exists. Recognizing the condition's origin is essential because a variety of treatments and the right rehabilitation plan may need to be used.
Typically, tendinopathy takes at least two to three months of treatment for complex tendon injury before it is safe to resume normal activities. It's crucial to perform maintenance workouts and employ preventative measures after suffering a tendon injury.
A supporting splint is worn following surgery to promote proper positioning during recovery. After a few weeks, the splint is taken off. It is pursued to promote a complete range of motion once more and is a crucial step in the healing process.
Best equipment & tech
At Cutis, all of the technology is cutting-edge and sophisticated to match contemporary demands. These cutting-edge tools and technologies enable our doctors to provide superior patient care. Additionally, our team consistently works to keep the equipment on a regular basis. All the equipment is thoroughly disinfected and cleaned after every usage to stop the spread of viruses and infections.
Thorough diagnosis
Before surgery, all required tests must be performed, and the diagnosis must be followed. To provide our patients with the necessary care at the appropriate time, the surgeons at Cutis perform extensive research to determine the location and severity of the tendon injury. They can even determine the patient's best course of treatment with the help of this study.
Expert medical professionals
The medical staff at Cutis is fully qualified and has years of hands-on experience treating patients. These doctors are quite knowledgeable about various medical conditions and which course of action is ideal in various situations. Consequently, based on the severity of the damage, specialists at Cutis aim to treat the patient using the best available techniques.
The extent of the injury determines whether a partial tendon tear can heal on its own. As there is a chance of scar tissue accumulating in the injured location, it is not recommended to let a tendon heal on its own.
The joint where a tendon attaches might become brittle and unstable if the tendon is not healed. The ligaments around that joint may begin to overwork as a result of this weakening and instability. A quadriceps tendon tear that hasn’t fully recovered might make the knee unsteady and put too much strain on ligaments.
The timeframe for tendon healing following surgery has three phases.
Those who may need surgery for tendon repair include:
Tendon damage carries a number of dangers, some of which are more prevalent than others.
Before the procedure, a doctor will inquire about a patient’s complete medical history and go over any potential risks and problems. Therefore, it is advised to be honest with your doctor for a successful surgery and save yourself from future problems.
Tendons connect muscles to bones and are tenacious bands of fibrous tissue. Joints, including the shoulders, elbows, forearms, knees, and heels, are frequently impacted.
Ice can help minimize discomfort and swelling when a tendon is injured abruptly. Ice the skin for 15 to 20 minutes every four to six hours.
And in case of chronic tendon pain, heat may be more helpful for you. Heat can increase blood flow, which may help promote the healing of the tendon. Heat also eases your pain while relieving your muscles.
We provide effective surgical and non-surgical treatments for all parts of the body. At Cutis Hospital, our cosmetic and plastic surgery team is committed to giving patients safe and high-quality care.
