Posterior Tibial Tendonitis
Posterior is the name given to the back of a body part, so if you’ve been diagnosed with poster tibial tendonitis, it means the tibial tendon in the back of your lower leg has become inflamed. The tibial tendon connects to the tibia bone which is one of two bones that comprise your leg. Tendonitis can occur in many different places in the body but is always caused by inflamed tendons. How these tendons become inflamed can vary from overuse, age, or direct trauma from something such as a car accident.
Causes
This condition can be painful and uncomfortable, brought on by repetitive actions and performing exercises/activities incorrectly. The tibial tendon is located in your lower leg, so any activities where your feet or legs are used heavily can cause posterior tibial tendonitis. Some examples of these activities would include, running, dancing, and swimming. In addition to heavy overuse it can also be caused by heavy trauma to the lower leg. Some examples would include, a car accident, and a large fall. Arthritis has also been know to cause this type of tendonitis in some patients so if you are currently suffering from arthritis in this region of your body, it has a risk of causing tendonitis.
Another area of concern that is not given enough attention is improper walking which can cause this type of tendonitis. The style of walking which would cause this type of tendonitis, is walking on the inside portion of your foot. This is not a natural way to walk so repeatedly walking in this manner will eventually lead to complications such as tendonitis.
Symptoms
The symptoms associated with posterior tibial tendonitis typically come on gradually over a period of time, up to months. In the event of direct trauma to the tendon, symptoms would come on more suddenly. However, in most cases the tendonitis is brought on by overuse, allowing symptoms to gradually become worse. Symptoms may include:
- Pain and/or swelling around the ankle
- Loss of strength in the toes. Trying to curl your toes inward would be more difficult
- Flatfoot may develop
- Unable to stand on your toes
- Ankle is tender to the touch, will become worse with increased activity
- If the tendon is torn you would hear a loud popping sound
Treatment
The best treatment is always going to be prevention because many times tendonitis is avoidable. Overuse of the tendons is the number one cause of tendonitis so taking simple precautions can many times allow one to avoid suffering from tendonitis. Treatment options may include:
- Plenty of rest
- Avoid activities that would aggravate and prolong the healing time
- anti-inflammatory pain medications to allow proper blood flow into the damaged tissue
- In some cases immobilization may be required via a cast or splint
- Custom orthotics such as shoe inserts to correct an improper walk or reduce pain
- Physical therapy to strengthen the muscles and tendons
Surgery is an option but is reserved for only the most serious cases. This would involve removing the damaged tissue to allow the tendons to once again move freely without added friction.