Signs and Symptoms
Signs and symptoms of tendon rupture include: Tearing or popping sound at the time of the injury, pain or tenderness in the area of the ruptured tendon, weakness or stiffness in the injured area, swelling, bruising and trouble walking or moving the area where the tendon rupture occurred.
A tendon is the fibrous tissue that attaches your muscle to bone. The forces applied to a tendon may be more than 5 times your body weight. In some rare instances, tendons can snap or rupture. These tears may occur in end to end or in lengthwise directions. Conditions that make a rupture more likely include age between 30-50, male gender, sports participation, chronic tendinitis, obesity, the injection of steroids into a tendon, fluoroquinolone antibiotics (e.g. Levaquin, Ciprofloxacin), certain diseases (such as gout or hyperparathyroidism), and having type O blood.
Initial conservative management of a tendon rupture may include the following:
- Rest the injured tendon until pain and swelling have decreased.
- Seek advice from a healthcare professional on what activities you can do while your tendon heals.
- Alternate heat & ice on your tendon for 15 to 20 minutes every hour for 48 hours or as directed.
- Compress the injury with an elastic bandage, air cast, medical boot, or splint to reduce swelling.
- Elevate the injured area above the level of your heart as often as you can. This will help decrease swelling and pain.
You should see a healthcare professional when:
- Symptoms do not get better with treatment;
- Function is impaired in the foot;
- Walking is impacted; and,
- The tendon continues to pop or crack.
Your provider will perform a thorough history and physical. Deficits in the function or strength of the tendon may raise suspicion of the injury.
Imaging will give a greater evaluation of how serious the injury may be:
- X-rays can show if the tendon has completely separated from the bone.
- An MRI of your tendon can show the extent of the damage.
- An Ultrasound may show a tear in the tendon.
Treatment of a partial tendon rupture may involve a splint, brace or cast to limit motion of a limb. Crutches, wheelchairs or a knee scooter may be necessary to reduce weight bearing on the injured limb. These measures may reduce further injury to the tendon. NSAIDs/Acetaminophen/Opioids may be necessary to manage pain related to the tear.
Now, Orthobiologic Treatments may replace surgery as an alternative for partial tendon tears.
The aim of using orthobiologic treatments is to support your body’s self-healing processes, reverse disease progression and suppress inflammatory reactions that can worsen pain, leading to symptom relief and recovery of function.
As part of a cell-based treatment, regenerative cells can be collected from bone marrow and blood with minimal discomfort. These cells can then be processed in a state-of-the-art laboratory utilizing the latest technology. Finally, the regenerative cells, in combination with natural growth and healing factors, can be injected where they are needed – such as an inflamed hip or knee joint. Over time, the cells can potentially repair and regenerate the damaged tissues, resulting in relief of pain and improvement in mobility and function.
Physical therapy may be recommended after swelling and pain have decreased. A Physical Therapist teaches you exercises to help improve movement, range of motion and strength. If the injury is a complete rupture or there are associated fractures, surgery may be recommended.
Enjoy life again without pain or surgery. Find out if you are eligible for our treatments
Is Orthobiologic Therapy
Right For You?
Although Orthobiologic Cell Therapy is considered by some people to be experimental, various research studies show that some marrow aspirate concentrate and platelet rich plasma injections may provide excellent relief from joint and musculoskeletal pain and ongoing inflammation.
