It is no secret that the tendon on the leg plays a determining factor in a person’s physical activity, and if something happens to him (inflammation, sprain or rupture), this significantly limits our freedom of action. That is why information about why this happens, how to avoid it, and also how to treat such an ailment, is very relevant.
What is a tendon and what are its main functions
The tendon on the leg is a formation of connective tissue that attaches to the bone and muscles. Their main function is to ensure the normal placement and stable performance of all organs. In addition, they direct the movement of joints. As a rule, the concept of “stretching” does not quite correspond to reality, as the tendons themselves cannot stretch due to the fact that they do not have the necessary elasticity and predisposition to this. In fact, their full or partial rupture occurs.
Causes of Tendon Damage
According to statistics, pain in the tendons of the legs occurs for the following reasons:
- Various falls;
- Sharp turns of the foot when driving on rough terrain. It is also worth considering that half of the complaints of ligament rupture come from women after a quick walk in heels.
- Intensive sports activities;
- Wearing uncomfortable shoes;
- Arthritis;
- Congenital weak tendons;
- Non-standard placement and, accordingly, further uneven development of the components of the musculoskeletal system. Expressed in accessible language - different lengths of limbs.
- Diseases of the musculoskeletal system;
- A variety of infections.
In addition, a tendon rupture on the leg is often called a “sports disease”, since almost 70% of requests come from athletes.
Types of sprains
As practice shows, the causes of stretching are divided into 2 types. And if the first type (degenerative) includes those that are caused by wear of the tendons that occur due to aging of the whole body and are most often diagnosed in people whose age is more than 40 years, then the second type (traumatic) includes breaks that occur as a result of a variety of falls, sudden movements, or excessive lifting. A distinctive feature of the last type of sprains is that they occur suddenly and are characterized by severe pain.
There is also a division into categories depending on the violations inflicted by each individual ligament.
Symptoms
Tension on the leg is manifested as follows:
- Strong pain both in a calm state, and during the execution of not very complex actions;
- With rather limited movements near the source of pain (it is impossible to perform flexion or extension of the leg);
- Fever;
- Bluish tint of skin;
- A change in the external contour of the joint, located in the immediate vicinity of the likely place of stretching;
- Various outflows;
- Sound accompaniment (clicking, crunching) during an attempt to make a movement with a damaged leg;
- Tingling and numbness in the area where you are in pain.
But it is worth considering that the symptoms that indicate that the tendons on the legs hurt may also have their own specific signs inherent in each particular type of rupture.
Meniscus injuries
As a rule, a tendon rupture on the leg accompanied by a fracture is one of the main symptoms of meniscus injury. Most often, such problems arise in athletes, which brings them a sufficient number of problems. But due to the similarity of symptoms, it is not always possible to immediately make the correct diagnosis. Its only distinguishing feature is severe pain when trying to straighten a bent leg.
Ankle sprain
Severe edema testifies to damage to the ankle, and when the severity of the body is transferred to the injured leg, a sharp pain occurs, which increases with movement. In addition, if injury is suspected, a “drawer” test may be required. In this case, the shin with one hand is firmly held down, and in the meantime, with the help of the other hand, very neatly press on the foot from behind, achieving its forward displacement. If the initial diagnosis is correct, then she will effortlessly change her location. There is also a high probability of detecting blood in the area of the bruise.
Remember, the stretching of the tendon on the leg can be either subtle (usually goes away within a few days), and pronounced (in this case, the immediate assistance of a specialist is required).
Diagnostics
As a rule, to complete the picture, the doctor conducts an initial survey of the patient about what happened to him and what feelings he felt at that moment. If a person complains of pain in the tendons of the legs, then a healthy leg is first examined. This is done in order to familiarize the patient with the examination procedure itself, and in the future, when the turn comes to the sore leg, then he is already subconsciously ready for what follows. As a result, the patient relatively calmly perceives all the manipulations of the doctor. Also, this approach allows the doctor to compare the results that he received during the examination of the patient's legs, which in the future will greatly facilitate the diagnosis.
In addition, additional studies will be appointed by the specialist to finally confirm or refute the initial diagnosis. These include:
- Computed tomography, which allows not only to confirm the diagnosis, but also to track the effectiveness of the treatment.
- Magnetic resonance imaging. This type of examination allows you to get very accurate information not only about which particular tendon on the leg is damaged, but also how many fibers are torn.
- X-ray examination. Its use allows you to identify the possibility of complications (fractures and dislocations).
- Ultrasound examination of a damaged organ.
First aid in case a leg tendon is torn
As practice shows, when such a nuisance happens, the nearest medical institution is at a distance of several kilometers. Therefore, in order for the treatment to be successful in the future and without possible complications, it is necessary to provide the first aid to the victim, which includes the following manipulations:
- The release of the sore foot from shoes and socks, which will reduce pressure on the edematous region.
- Providing rest to the damaged area, which will slightly distract the person from the fact that he has sore tendons on his legs.
- Creating a special substrate from several times folded fabric and placing it under the damaged area.
- Raising the leg to the highest possible height (usually to the area of the heart), which improves blood flow several times.
- Applying ice to a damaged area or a piece of cloth previously soaked in cold water. But, if the situation allows, it is better not to resort to the latter option. A piece of ice is recommended to be placed on top of dry tissue to prevent soft tissue necrosis, which can occur due to severe frostbite. Ice should be applied in the first two hours after damage with an interval of 20 minutes. Next, two hours will be enough during the first day.
Remember that the speed of further recovery may depend on how these procedures are carried out. In addition, with intense pain, it is recommended to take painkillers.
Leg tendon treatment
Depending on the degree of stretching, various therapeutic measures are prescribed. For example, a partial rupture of ligaments (1 degree) requires conservative treatment, in which a special bandage is applied to the damaged area with an elastic bandage, limiting joint mobility. The period of wearing it varies from 3 to 5 days. In addition, drugs that relieve inflammation can be prescribed. If, for example, the tendon of the big toe is torn, then the patient is instructed to use a special toe retainer and, if necessary, pain relievers. In addition, to increase the outflow of venous blood, it is recommended to smear the damaged area with Troxevasin gel.
With fairly pronounced pain, swelling and limited movement of the joints (2 degree), the immobilization of the joints should be of a longer nature (up to two weeks). In addition, it is best to keep the leg in a raised position in the first 3 days. As already mentioned, ice should be applied only in the first 24 hours. The gel can be used the same as in the previous case.
If, after damage, very severe pains are observed, the inability to make even the slightest movement with the joint (grade 3), then in this case gypsum application or even leg tendon surgery may be necessary. The period of immobilization of the leg can last more than a month (depending on the severity of the injury). During this time, painkillers and injections are taken.
What could be the consequences
As a rule, the prognosis after treatment is quite favorable if therapy was started on time. Otherwise, the tendon on the leg can almost completely cease to fulfill its function, which, in turn, will seriously affect the mobility of a person.
Recovery exercises
To restore joint mobility after a trauma at the end of the treatment, special recovery procedures are prescribed, which include:
- Walking in comfortable shoes, but it should happen with a soft roll from the heel to the toe. Particular attention should be paid to the fact that you do not need to turn the sock out very much.
- Half-squats on socks with further lifting of socks and their subsequent return to their initial position.
- In addition, it is worthwhile to devote time to certain exercises in the water, since under these conditions it is possible to develop a damaged tendon without overloading it.
The main thing to understand is that when you contact the appropriate medical institution in a timely manner, you can minimize both the treatment process and subsequent rehabilitation.