Tendinitis in Your Ankle

Tendinitis in Your Ankle.

What is tendinitis?  It is an inflammation of a tendon, which is a thick cord that connects bone to muscle.  One of the most common types of tendinitis in the foot/ankle is Achilles tendinitis.  This is an inflammation of the Achilles tendon.

What causes tendinitis?  Tendinitis can form after an injury or from over-use.  It is best to stretch before exercising and also to make sure you are in the correct form.  If you have flat feet, arthritis, or tight tendons you might be more prone to getting tendinitis.

What are the symptoms of tendinitis?  The most common symptom of tendinitis is pain.  The pain is especially noticeable when trying to move that particular part of the body.  There might also be some swelling.

What can you do at home?  The best thing you can do to help relieve the pain at home is rest and ice.  Try to stay off of your foot as much as possible and apply ice.

When should you see a podiatrist?  If your pain is not going away with ice and rest or if the pain lasts longer than a week, it is time to see Dr. Gale.  It is best not to wait too long otherwise tendinitis can become a chronic problem and it will be harder to treat.

Diagnosis and treatment.  Dr. Gale will do a physical exam of your feet and ankles, and he will ask you some questions regarding your health and pain.  X-rays and/or an MRI might be needed to rule out any other possible problems.

To treat tendinitis Dr. Gale will try to help alleviate the pain and try to help you prevent further injury.  He may recommend shoe inserts or a walk cast to help immobilize the foot.  Medication can sometimes help.

How to prevent tendinitis.  Custom shoe orthotics may help you from redeveloping tendinitis.  These will help control the motion of your foot.  Stretches and/or exercises might be recommended to help increase the elasticity of the tendon and to strengthen the muscles that are attached.  If you gradually increase your activity level may help prevent injury.

If you are having any pain and think it might be tendinitis Contact Us today at the Dakota Foot & Ankle Clinic to schedule an appointment with Dr. Brian Gale, DPM, FACFAS.

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Dakota Foot & Ankle Clinic

Monday:

8:30 am-4:30 pm

Tuesday:

8:30 am-4:30 pm

Wednesday:

8:30 am-4:30 pm

Thursday:

8:30 am-4:30 pm

Friday:

8:30 am-4:30 pm

Saturday:

Closed

Sunday:

Closed