Tendon Strain

Tendons, which are located at both ends of a muscle, attach the muscle to the bone. Tendons are found throughout the body but the Achilles tendon is the largest. It attaches the calf muscle to the heel bone.

As a muscle contracts, the attached tendon pulls the bone into movement. At the same time, the soft tissues making up the tendon help absorb some of the impact from the muscles springing into action.
A strain is a stretch or tear in the tissues making up a tendon or muscle. These injuries commonly occur while participating in sports.

Other injuries, such as tendinopathy, can also be the result of aging, irritation, or another underlying problem.
Tendinopathy means that you have tiny tears in your tendon. Although small tears are normal following physical activities, tendinopathy can become a degenerative condition, when the tears do not heal quickly enough. This problem causes pain and makes it hard to move your foot and ankle. Tendinopathy is often called tendinosis and associated with tendonitis.

Tendons can also suffer from large tears or ruptures. These are more common during extreme physical activities or accidents. The Achilles tendon, located at your heel, is especially prone to injury.

Causes

A tendon injury might be caused by:

  • Overuse
  • Stepping up your level of physical activity too quickly
  • Not stretching enough before exercise
  • Wearing high heels, which increases the stress on the tendon
  • Muscles or tendons in the leg that are too tight
  • Problems with the feet.

An Achilles tendon injury can result from flat feet, also known as fallen arches or overpronation. In this condition, the impact of a step causes the arch of your foot to collapse, stretching the muscles and tendons.

Ankle Joint Injury
An ankle joint injury may be due to the soft tissues of a ligament or tendon stretching beyond their capacity, better known as an ankle sprain or strain.

Bent Toe Disorders (Hammer, Mallet and Claw)
A bent toe disorder is an oddly bent toe joint. Hammer, claw and mallet toes are often painful and commonly occur in one or more of the four smaller toes.

Equinus Contracture
Equinus contracture is a condition in which the upward bending motion of the ankle joint is limited, lacking the flexibility to lift the top of the foot.

FlatFoot Deformity
Adult flatfoot is caused by changes in the tendon, impairing its ability to support the arch, thus resulting in the flattening of the foot.

Injuries to the Achilles Tendon
An overly stressed Achilles tendon can be subject to mild or serious injuries. If the injury is mild or moderate, it may be limited to burning or stiffness.

Instability
Instability is the inability of a joint to support weight or maintain balance, a feat which requires coordination between functional ligaments and tendons.

Peroneal Tendon Injury
A peroneal tendon injury most commonly occurs in individuals who participate in sports that involve repetitive ankle motion.

Tendinopathy and Tendonitis
Tendonitis is the resulting inflammation from tendinopathy (or tendinosis), a common overuse injury caused by frequent and long-term excessive compression.

Tendon Rupture
A tendon rupture is a tear in the tendon connecting bone to muscle. This foot injury is painful and prevents the foot and ankle from moving freely.

Symptoms

Potential Treatments

As debilitating as they can be, the good news is that minor to moderate Achilles tendon injuries should heal on their own. You just need to give them time. If the injury does not heal, reoccurs, or is severe, surgery may be required.

Disclaimer: The Relief Institute has made reasonable efforts to present accurate information on this website; however, it is possible that information found on this website could potentially be out-of-date or limited in nature. Any medical and health-related information presented on this website is general in nature. The Relief Institute does not furnish or render professional health care services or medical care. Therefore, the information presented on this website is not a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment, nor is it intended to provide you with a specific diagnosis or treatment for a specific ailment. The information is made available to you for educational and informational purposes and does not constitute the practice of medicine and/or as a substitute for consultation with your personal health care provider. Click here to view our full disclaimer.