Tendon Injury Treatment

Strong fibers that link our muscles to our bones are called 'Tendons.' A medical condition wherein one or more tendons are torn or damaged is known as Tendon Injury. Tendon injury is also known as Tendinopathy and tendinitis. 

A tendon can bare up to 5 times more force than your actual boy weight but can get torn or ruptured in some uncommon cases. Although, there are certain circumstances under which a rupture is more likely to occur, such as Taking steroids, Having an O blood group, or Certain diseases such as Gout. 

A Tendon Injury is a relatively rare condition, but it can result in unbearable pain and can have permanent damage if left untreated or not appropriately treated.

What is a Tendon Injury?

Tension injury, also known as Tendinopathy, is a sort of Tendon Disorder with dire consequences such as excruciating pain, swelling, and improper functioning. The pain caused by this particular injury inclines drastically when you try to move the damaged area. The signs and symptoms vary as per the kind of injury and can be treated surgically or by non-surgical methods, depending on the seriousness of the injury.

Given below is a list of 4 most common areas of a tendon injury:

1. Biceps: Tendon ruptures taking place in this area of the body are classified as Close or far. Although, far ruptures are extremely rare. The close rupture takes place where the biceps meet at the top of the shoulder. 

2. Achilles: It is located above the heel of the foot where the calf muscle meets the heel. It plays a pivotal role in helping you to stand on your tiptoes and get a kick-start while beginning a foot race. 

3. Quadriceps: As the name suggests, it is a group of four muscles located just above the Patella (kneecap) to form the patellar tendon. This group of muscles helps extend the leg at the knee, which aids an individual in running, jumping, etc.

4. Rotator cuff: It comprises 4 muscles and is responsible for the proper movement of your arms. The rotator cuff is situated in the shoulders. It is one of the most commonly affected areas by tendon injuries. The conclusion of some research has also shown that 8-20% of dead people have tears in the rotator cuffs.

Causes of Tendon Ruptures

Usually, tendon injuries occur more in adults and senior citizens due to their age. In addition to that, these injuries are more common amongst people of elderly age, especially those who suffer from certain diseases such as Gout. Other causes of tendon injuries are listed below:

• Direct trauma to a particular area.
• Elderly age, due to the declined intake of vitamins and nutrients, the tendons present in the body weaken, and that results in tendon injuries.
• Inserting steroids into tendons can have harmful side effects that can have undesired outcomes, such as tendon injuries.
• Stretching of muscle contracts in opposite directions can put excess trauma on the involved tendon, resulting in its rupture.
• Performing physical activities that directly put too much trauma on tendons can be yet another cause of tendon injuries.

Diagnosis 

One or more physical examinations usually diagnose tendon injuries. In addition, imaging is done with the help of X-rays, or CT Scans to know the seriousness of the injury and confirm the existence of the injury. 

The doctor uses an MRI to know whether the injury is partial or entire in the case of a Quadriceps injury. Furthermore, a Thompson test is conducted by a doctor to examine your Achilles tendon, in addition to X-rays and MRIs. 

Moving further, the doctor conducts an arm test to know the injury and its severity in rotator cuffs. In this test, you raise your arm to 90 degrees and ask to hold it stable in that position. They diagnose injuries in the biceps tendon with the help of X-rays and physical examinations.

Symptoms 

Given below is a list of symptoms of tendon injuries:

1. Excruciating pain
2. quick/immediate bruising
3. Highlighted weakness
4. Difficulty in using the affected limb
5. Immobilization of the affected area
6. Inflammation
7. Inability to lift the weight
8. Inability to perform certain physical activities
9. Difficulty in participating in sports activities
10. Difficulty in performing routine tasks

Tendon injury treatment

Minor tendon injuries can be treated at home, whereas it is advisable to seek immediate medical attention in case of unbearable pain or immediate bruising.

Given below is a list of tendon injury treatments that can be done at home to cure tendon injuries:

1. Home remedies 

• Ice/ice packs should be applied on the affected area, which helps reduce the bruising and inflammation and numbs the pain for a while.
• Restrict the movement of the injured area for a few days or weeks.
• In case of severe pain, take the help of antibiotics such as ibuprofen and aspirin. However, children should not be given these medications.
• Wrap up a bandage or a piece of cloth around the damaged area to reduce the movement of the damaged limb, which aids in faster recovery. Though it should not be wrapped tightly; otherwise, it might result in declined blood flow.
• Avoid performing routine physical or sports activities with the affected limb. And avoid lifting heavy weights too. 

2. Doctor consultation - After completing the home remedies, if the injury or the pain persists, it becomes mandatory to consult a professional. After appropriate examinations and tests, when doctors get the confirmation and severity of the injury, there comes a time to decide whether to treat the injury with surgical or non-surgical methods. 

3. Surgical Method: Doctors usually opt for surgical methods unless they are entirely sure that the injury is partial and the surgery is not necessary. After the surgery, the affected area will be covered with a bandage or a plaster to ensure immobilization. Physical therapy can aid you with faster recovery after the surgery. 

4. Non-surgical Method: In this method of tendon injury treatment, doctors usually prescribe medication to the patient that helps them to recover the partially damaged tendon and get rid f pain. In addition to medicines, doctors advise the patient to get some physical therapy for the damaged area, which helps reduce the swelling and heal the injury faster without the risk of declining blood flow caused by immobilization. 

Risk Factors

1. Age: As an individual grows older, their tendons become weak, and their flexibility declines. Due to this, it becomes easier for them to get hurt. 

2. Physical activities: Physical activities that put excess strain on muscles, joints, and tendons can also become a reason for your tendon injury. Activities such as running and jumping can put excessive unwanted pressure on tendons, which might result in declining their potential and getting injured. 

3. Participating in sports: Enrolling yourself in sports activities can be another cause of a tendon injury. Sports such as tennis, football, volleyball, cricket, etc., require enormous energy that is achieved by applying too much force on muscles and tendons. 

4. Heavy weight lifting: Even though a tendon can bare up to 5 times our actual body weight, it can get damaged due to the sudden lifting of heavy weights. When an excess trauma is put on our tendons suddenly, it results in a tendon injury.

After Care

Usually, tendon injury treatment does not require a patient to spend nights in the hospital to get the treatment done. The treatment is done on an outpatient basis, which means you don't have to spend the night at the hospital and can go home after the surgery. 

However it is advisable for the patient to spend some time at the hospital after the surgery to ensure that there are no side effects and the surgery is successful.

In most cases, the recovery can take up to 3 months, which might get extended if you are suffering from a more severe injury. You will also need a splint or a cast to keep the trauma off the repaired tendon so that it does not get damaged again. It is necessary to restrict the movement of the repaired tendon for a faster recovery. 

Enroll yourself in occupational or physical therapy, which will aid you in returning the movement of your limb in a safe manner. 

Why choose Cutis for Tendon Injuries?

Tendon injuries can be extremely painful, and most of them need to be treated by surgeries. But before moving further with the tendon injury treatment, it is necessary to know the type and severity of the injury, to make a calculated decision regarding the treatment method to move further with. To get the best treatment, consult with the best professionals at Cutis. 

Experienced professionals 

Doctors at Cutis have years of practical knowledge and experience in treating tendon injuries thoroughly. They examine the patient appropriately to ensure the number of injuries and their severity. After the confirmation of the injury and its seriousness, they make a calculated decision regarding the treatment. 

Hygiene is our priority.

The equipment used for the treatment is professional and is maintained and cleaned thoroughly by the staff so that the patient does not have to suffer from any infection or after-surgery complications.

Best results

Our highly trained staff's abilities, together with our surgical and therapeutic expertise and understanding, have continued to produce outstanding outcomes. Our first aim for both medical practitioners and support staff is to achieve the best possible outcomes for you.