What is a tendon? This is part of the human muscle, which is represented by connective tissue. Due to this, it can be attached to the skeleton. They can be long and short, wide and narrow, have a different intricate shape (ribbon-like, cord-like, rounded).
Tendon structure
Knowing the definition, you can try to imagine the appearance of this element of the human body. What is a tendon? These are compactly arranged parallel bundles of collagen and elastin fibers. Fibrocytes are located between the threads. A feature is considered that the fibrous elements prevail over the cellular. This provides strength and low elongation to the entire structure.
Vessels and nerves enter the tendon from the side of the muscle or periosteum at the point of attachment. With age, a certain imbalance in the muscle and tendon muscles is determined. In the newborn, tendons are practically not developed, and until adolescence, the process of increasing muscle mass occurs in parallel with the growth of collagen fibers. Then, up to twenty-five years, the tendon part actively grows. In old age, fibers lose their elasticity and become more fragile.
Tendon function
What is a tendon? This is the element that holds the muscle and attaches it to areas of the bone. They provide the functions of the musculoskeletal system:
- supporting, that is, they create support for organs and soft tissues, and also hold the overlying segments of the body;
- locomotor - as parts of the muscle involved in the movement of a person in space;
- protective - in a certain way protect the neurovascular bundles and organs from damage.
The mechanical properties of tendons depend on their size and the ratio of collagen and elastin fibers. The wider the ligament and the more collagen in it, the stronger it is. And vice versa, the thinner and softer, the easier it is to deform.
Inflammation
Human tendons are prone to pathological processes, like any other body structure. There are several types of inflammatory diseases inherent in tendons, which are accompanied by disorders of the musculoskeletal system.
- Tendonitis. It arises from prolonged constant tendon tension. In this case, changes in the structure of the tissue develop, which can lead to tearing of this muscle fragment. This type of inflammation significantly reduces the strength of tendons and increases the likelihood of rupture. Tendonitis can be of an infectious origin when an infection is introduced either as a result of a wound or with the flow of fluid through the body, such as blood or lymph. From dystrophic tendonitis, as a rule, athletes suffer.
- Paratenonitis It is an aseptic inflammation of the fiber that surrounds the tendon. This pathology is usually associated with repeated joint injuries. Blood flows into the space between the fascia and tendon, and edema develops. After the first symptoms, this inflammatory focus is converted into fibrous tissue. The tendon loses mobility, and the movements become painful.
Sprain
What is a tendon? This is a combination of collagen and elastin filaments in a certain ratio. If excessive force is applied to this anatomical formation, then a tendon stretch is observed. This is the most common type of injury to date. As a rule, it is observed in the knee and ankle joint with a sharp movement.
The strongest muscles of the human body are located on the legs, which means that their tendons are strong and must withstand significant loads. But sometimes there are unsuccessful falls, spontaneous movements that provoke stretching of the tendons.
There are three degrees of difficulty in stretching:
1. The first degree is a slight pain that intensifies with movement.
2. The second degree - severe pain with swelling of the lesion, muscle weakness and increased discomfort during physical exertion.
3. The third degree is a complete or partial rupture of the tendon and, as a result, muscle contraction.
Rupture and damage to the tendons of the hand
The tendons on the arm are quite thin, but at the same time durable, so they can only be damaged directly when injured or injured, for example, an industrial accident, careless handling of construction equipment, etc. The tendons of the hand and forearm are mainly damaged. Most often this is a group of flexors.
Tendons on the arm are closely intertwined with vessels and nerves, therefore, a combined lesion of these anatomical formations is often found. To restore tissue integrity resort to the help of surgeons. The operation is complex and lengthy, since it is necessary to stitch not only the cut tendons, but also the nerves and blood vessels, and also to check whether the brush function has been preserved after all the manipulations.
Finger tendon damage
Finger tendon damage can be suspected when there is no active flexion of the phalanges or interphalangeal joints. This indicates that the pathological process is located in the area of the superficial and deep flexor of the fingers. In order to check the integrity of the structures, they resort to radiography.
Such injuries should be treated exclusively by surgery. An exception is fresh tears of the distal interphalangeal joints. In this case, immobilization can be dispensed with up to one and a half months. In the case of open damage, you must first stop the bleeding, close the wound with a sterile dressing and use the splint to fix it, and then resort to surgical intervention anyway.
Rupture and damage to the tendons of the foot
Tendons on the leg also have three degrees of damage:
1. The first is minor pain, swelling in the ankle joint. The victim is able to step on the foot. Discomfort disappears a few days after the start of therapy.
2. The second - swelling of the joint, sharp pain when moving.
3. Third - tendon rupture on the leg, large swelling of the joint, constant severe pain.
Achilles tendon rupture, which is attached to the calcaneus, appears due to intense stress. The gap is usually complete. The reasons can be considered a direct blow to a solid object in this area, or a sharp contraction of the triceps muscle of the leg. This injury is often found in athletes, especially in runners.
Treatment for fresh ruptures involves suturing the tendon and applying a plaster cast. It will be necessary to wear it for a whole month. Then it will be removed to remove the suture, and after the leg will be fixed again for another four weeks. If the gap is old, then the removal of damaged tissue with subsequent plasty is performed.
Tendon pain
Tendon rupture is accompanied by sharp pain, but not only this type of damage can cause uncomfortable sensations. Doctors have to deal with complaints of tendon pain every day.
As a rule, most often these people develop tendonitis, tendinosis or tenosynovitis. They may appear due to improper posture, sitting in an uncomfortable position or lack of warm-up before sports activities. In addition, infectious diseases such as arthritis, which can also cause tendon pain, should not be relieved. The presence of shortening of bone structures after fractures also contributes to the appearance of pain, since due to the asymmetric distribution of the load, the healthy side wears out faster.
The presence of pain in the tendons affects the surrounding tissues. Intolerable pain occurs with deposits of calcifications, impaired mobility of the shoulder joint, tendinosis. The cause may also be excessive force to perform any movement at the tensile strength of the tendon. With prolonged intense loads, fiber degeneration and necrosis can develop.