Tendonitis Specialist

What is tendonitis?

Tendonitis describes irritation or inflammation in the tendons of your foot and ankle. Your tendons are thick, fibrous cords that keep your muscles attached to your bones.

While you can develop tendonitis in any tendon, the condition is most common in the Achilles tendon near your heel, elbows, and knees. The inflammation and irritation in the tendon can result from repetitive movements that sports or manual labor requires or because of injuries.

As you get older and your tendons become less flexible, you might also be at increased risk for tendonitis.

What are the symptoms of tendonitis?

Tendonitis can cause symptoms that begin gradually and worsen over time, especially if your tendon tears or ruptures.

You should schedule a diagnostic evaluation with the team at Rhode Island Foot Care if you have symptoms in your foot or ankle like:

• Aching
• Pain
• Swelling
• Tenderness

The team offers on-site diagnostic testing technologies, such as X-rays and ultrasounds, to evaluate the health of your tendons and identify the underlying cause of your pain. 

They customize a treatment plan based on your individual needs to relieve your pain and prevent a worsening of your condition.

How is tendonitis treated?

The initial treatment for tendonitis involves rest and the use of over-the-counter pain relievers and anti-inflammatory medications.

If you still have pain and find it difficult to move the affected tendon, the Rhode Island Foot Care team might recommend:

Cortisone injections

Injections of corticosteroids can reduce inflammation, so you can do stretching exercises to increase the flexibility in your tendons and participate in physical therapy. 

Shockwave therapy

Shockwave therapy is a non-invasive treatment that uses shockwave energy to stimulate your body’s natural healing processes and help your tendons heal more efficiently.

Surgery 

When tendonitis pain is severe, or you have a large tear in your tendon, you might need surgery to repair it. The Rhode Island Foot Care team can often use minimally invasive surgical techniques to repair the damaged tendon without causing unnecessary trauma to your body.

Following your surgery, the team can work with you on strategies to prevent additional tendonitis complications, such as stretching before playing sports and taking time to rest after strenuous activity.

If you have symptoms of tendonitis in your foot or ankle, schedule a consultation online or by calling the Rhode Island Foot Care office nearest you today.