What is the tendon and the types of damage

Tendons - it is part of the connective tissue of muscles, by which they are attached to the bones and provides the muscular effort. Tendons are long and short, wide, narrow, rounded, threadlike, and ribbon-like and plate - aponeuroses.

Damage to tendons may be closed (subcutaneous) and open.

Closed injuries of tendons

Closed (subcutaneous) damage to tendons come in the form of dislocations Dislocation - Prevention and Treatment   and ruptures. Tendon dislocations are rare, they can occur as a result of injury in a tendon rupture retaining ligaments. This is accompanied by bleeding, swelling, local pain, impaired function of the tendon. Chance of a dislocated tendon of peroneus longus shin under certain innate characteristics of the musculoskeletal system. There are dislocations of the extensor tendons of the fingers is damaged tendon plates as a result of a sharp dilution fingers.

Treatment of dislocation of the tendon is its reduction and fixation dressings applying a plaster splint for 3-4 weeks. When chronic sprains shows the operation.

Closed tendon ruptures are due to direct trauma or sudden muscle contraction. Usually tendon detached from the attachment to the bone, sometimes with bone fragment. In some cases torn tendon at the junction of the muscle, at least - for.

When you hear the crack of a tendon rupture, appears a sharp pain, impaired function of the corresponding muscles. Most often there is a gap tendon of the biceps, quadriceps, flexors and extensors of the fingers. Rupture Achilles (Achilles) tendon occurs when the sharp reduction in the gastrocnemius muscle or a direct blow to him. Subcutaneous tendon rupture can be caused by frequent minor injuries (microtrauma) in athletes or workers of certain professions (polishers, cutters and others). In addition, it occurs in fractures, infectious diseases (such as tuberculosis). Tendon rupture is possible at any age, but most often it occurs in older people due to a decrease in tissue elasticity.

Sometimes a tendon rupture occurs without any pronounced stress. This comes against the background of constant or microtrauma, various metabolic, infectious or metabolic (eg diabetes Diabetes - threatening and incurable disease , Obesity, and so on) of diseases that lead to malnutrition and tissue inflammation.

Treatment of closed tendon rupture can be conservative or surgical, depending on the location and damage limitation. For example, the treatment of tendon rupture of the biceps, quadriceps, Achilles (Achilles) tendon, flexor tendons of the fingers and the long extensor of the thumb, usually operative. When you break the extensor tendons of the fingers of other favorable results are obtained by fixing the finger in a writing position for 5-6 weeks plaster cast or special tires. You can also fix the finger in extension a special needle. Subsequently shown physiotherapy.

With proper and timely treatment, the prognosis closed tendon rupture favorable.

Open injuries of tendons

Open injuries occur when the tendon injury with a sharp object (glass, knife and so on), or in contact with the limbs moving parts of machinery. Basically there are damaged tendons muscles of the upper limb at the level of the hand and forearm flexor digitorum often. There are isolated damage to tendons, but more often they are combined with injury to nerves and blood vessels.

Contact with moving machinery limb is torn-crush wound margin or pulping tendons. At the ends of the tendons diverge considerably due to muscle contraction.

The integrity of the tendon injury is reduced by using weld overlay tendon. Contraindications to the imposition of such a seam with open lesions are the presence of torn-crushed wounds, bone fractures and joint damage. When chronic tendon injuries shows plastic surgery, that is, replacement of the defect tendon graft taken from another tendon of the same patient.

The prognosis of open injuries of tendons as favorable provided timely assistance.

Galina Romanenko

Why do I get a calcaneal spur

Heel spur is a bony growths on the lower surface of the calcaneus, exactly where the heel rests on a hard surface walking. The build-up has a wide base, facing the surface of the calcaneus and quite sharp protrusions that juts out from the soft tissues of the heel, injure them and causes severe pain.

Heel spur is the result of long-term injury or poor blood supply to the heel bone. Most heel spurs occurs against a background of flat feet. Long-term injury contributes to the widening of the bone tissue - formed heel spurs.

The main complaints of patients with heel spurs - the inability to come to heel. If a person is forced to walk long enough, after some time walking becomes completely impossible. Much depends on individual sensitivity of tissues: the higher it is, the more painful spur. And there are people who have a spur, but at the same time do not feel pain or any discomfort. The diagnosis of heel spurs is confirmed by X-ray studies.

Since the people are of the opinion that heel spurs - it's salt deposits, for their "dispersal" used a variety of methods, which usually do not bring any relief. But you can help - both radical and simply alleviate the condition, just have to see a doctor-orthopedist.

How to treat heel spur

Treatment of heel spurs can be conservative and operative, and is made by an orthopedist or surgeon. Orthopedist can teach what you need to do in order to facilitate easy walking. To do this, cut two insoles for the left and right legs of thick soft material, one of them cut a hole in the form spurs. Walking becomes easier. Over time, the inflammation of the soft tissues, caused by long-term injury, will pass and life will improve. When the heel spur on a background of flat feet require wearing special orthopedic shoes. It slows the growth of bone tissue.

Conservative treatment also includes treatment of inflammatory soft tissue. Prescribed drugs that improve blood circulation and metabolism Improves metabolism and losing weight without dieting , Strengthen blood vessels, has anti-inflammatory (eg kenalog). Assist physical therapy: paraffin, mineral wax, ultrasound therapy, water and mud Mud - a pleasant and useful procedure . In place of soreness injections of novocaine.

Modern methods of conservative treatment of heel spurs include the method of shock wave therapy - bone spurs destroyed and crushed under the effect of special waves. This method also helps restore blood circulation in the spurs and increases the pain threshold. If you can not hold the shock-wave therapy, the heel spurs can be removed by a course of radiotherapy (five procedures, which are held twice a week).

In the absence of effect of conservative treatment of severe pain and is carried out surgical removal of heel spurs through various techniques. The operation is performed under general or local anesthesia. The site of the proposed location of heel spurs (this place pre-specified using X-ray), the surgeon makes an arcuate incision of the skin and soft tissue, exposes the calcaneus, with tools knocks and remove the heel spur and injured soft tissue, and then stitches, sterile dressing and gypsum. Gypsum is removed in two weeks and the patient begins to train his leg, trying to gradually, but every day, increase the load.

Since heel spurs often occurs on the background of metabolic disorders Metabolism: The basis of life of all living things It can reappear even after surgery.

Prevention education heel spurs

Prevention education heel spurs is to reduce heavy physical exertion (including by reducing the weight of the body), wearing comfortable shoes, timely treatment of orthopedic diseases (including flatfoot), diseases of the circulatory system, the spine and joints, properly balanced diet, improves metabolic processes.

And in any case it is impossible to self: it does not help, but only further aggravate the situation. Early treatment by a doctor, podiatrist - the only way to get rid of heel spurs How to get rid of heel spurs - conservative and operative treatment .

Galina Romanenko