Your feet and ankles have numerous tendons that connect the muscles to bones. These tendons are just a small part of the network of ligaments and bones that provide your feet and ankle with stability and balance required for movement.
Two peroneal tendons run side-by-side right beneath your outer ankle bone. One peroneal tendon attaches to the outer portion of your midfoot, while the other runs underneath your foot and connects to your arch. These tendons provide your foot and ankle with much-needed stability, protecting you from ankle sprains.
Your Achilles tendon is the thick cord you can feel at the back of your ankle, and it attaches your calf muscle to your heel.
All these tendons are prone to injury, and it can cause a lot of pain and limited mobility. Because foot and ankle tendon injuries can affect your daily life so much, podiatrists Matthew Hinderland, DPM, Jordan Cameron, DPM, Trevor Whiting, DPM, Joseph Fleck, DPM, at the Foot and Ankle Institute of Colorado in Colorado Springs, Colorado, offer diagnostic and treatment procedures to discover the extent of your injury and help you get back on your feet.
Injuries to your peroneal tendons can worsen without treatment, and they’re often misdiagnosed. So, it’s important to see a team of expert podiatrists like the one at the Foot and Ankle Institute of Colorado to get the right diagnosis and subsequent treatment.
We start by doing a physical exam of your foot, looking at the affected area closely and examining your range of motion. Imaging tests may also be necessary to rule out other possibilities like arthritis or a foot fracture. In addition, these diagnostic tests can help us know if the injury to your tendon is the result of an ankle sprain.
For an Achilles tendon injury, we examine your foot, pressing on areas where there’s pain and swelling and testing range of motion. We may also utilize imaging tests to see how extensive or severe your Achilles tendon injury is. The tendon may simply be inflamed, or it may be ruptured. Finding out can help us determine the best treatment plan.
Conservative methods are the first step in foot and ankle tendon treatment, since these are typically sufficient for helping the tendon to heal. Treatment methods are pretty similar for peroneal tendon injuries and Achilles tendon injuries.
We may recommend some combination of the following to reduce inflammation and encourage healing:
If conservative methods aren’t enough, we may want to talk about surgery. Tendon repair surgery removes some of the damaged tissue and repairs the tendon. This may only be necessary if the injury is severe and doesn’t respond well to other treatment methods.
If you suspect you have a tendon injury in your foot or ankle, don’t delay in seeking treatment with our Foot and Ankle Institute of Colorado team. Prompt treatment can help reduce your risk of needing surgery.
Schedule an appointment with us by calling our office or booking online today.
