Foot & Ankle Tendon Treatments for Baton Rouge Patients

Previously, we wrote about the most common forms of injury that can affect the tendons of the foot and ankle , from acute tears to repetitive strain. Regardless of the type, proper treatment of such injuries is critical for a full recovery and to prevent re-injury in the future. Here is what you should know regarding common treatment protocol for foot and ankle tendon injuries and the various surgical techniques that may be used if necessary:

Tendons can heal without surgery. In the case of repetitive strain tendon tears, RIICE, immobilization in a walking boot or brace, cortisone injections and physical therapy can all be effective treatments to heal and restore function to damaged and torn tendons. In the case of acute tears, treatment depends on the patient age, functional goals and which tendon has been torn. This is a decision that must be weighed out by individuals at the time of injury. The Achilles tendon , for example, will often heal in a cast. However, studies have shown that Achilles tendon tears treated without surgery have higher rates of re-rupture, and the tendon does not regain the same level of strength as tendons treated surgically. For an older patient with multiple medical problems and lower physical demands, treating an acute Achilles tendon tear non-surgically can be the right choice. For a young, athletic patient whose goal is to return to high demand physical activities, the correct choice might be to surgically repair an acute Achilles tendon rupture.

End-to-End Tendon Repair / Tendon Reattachment Surgery

This is the type of repair commonly used for acute tendon tears. In the examples of the tibialis anterior and the Achilles tendon, they suffer a complete rupture resulting in two tendon edges that are no longer in contact. An end-to-end repair involves the use of strong surgical suture materials to bring the ruptured tendon edges back together and to maintain that attachment while the tendon heals. It is important during an end-to-end repair to restore the proper tension to the tendon so that it can heal correctly.

Debridement Tendon Surgery

This is the type of repair typically used for repetitive strain or lengthwise split tears of foot and ankle tendons. In the example of the peroneal tendons, imagine the tendon thickened and surrounded by scar tissue. A debridement entails removing the scar tissue and carefully cutting away the thickened portions of callus around the tendon. Surgical sutures are used to restore the tendon to its natural round, tubular shape. In severe cases, a side-to-side repair called an anastomosis can be employed. Here, the tendons are so damaged that the only option is to sew them together to make one, larger tendon.

Tendon injuries do not always require surgical repair, and not all patients are ideal candidates for such procedures. However, for those patients who do have surgery, results tend to be favorable with a re-rupture risk of less than 5 percen t.

To learn more about foot and ankle tendon injuries and treatment options, contact our Baton Rouge orthopedic office , and request an appointment .