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Athletes, runners, and sports players experience foot and ankle pain due to excessive pressure on the feet. The major reason are the tendons found in our feet.
Let's read about types of tendonitis and how can compression socks help us relieve our pain.
Read on to understand varicose veins and how beneficial it is for you to wear compression socks.
Table of Contents
- Introduction
- What is Extensor Tendonitis?
- What causes extensor tendonitis?
- Symptoms of Extensor Tendonitis
- Recovery from Extensor Tendinopathy
- How can compression socks help?
- Conclusion
Introduction
Tendonitis is when the tendons of the body have swelling in them. It is one of the most common causes of foot or ankle pain.
There are five types of tendonitis of the feet:
Peroneal: Inflammation of the peroneal brevis tendons that run along the ankle joint's outside. This happens in runners or sports players involving rapid changing of directions.
Posterior Tibial: Cause ankle pain and swelling in the anterior part of the joint. It is caused in people who have had an injury to the foot.
Achilles: Inflammation caused where sudden starting and stopping or changing directions.
Flexor: This is signified by the pain in the big toe. It is caused by strains that occur due to wearing ill-fitted shoes, having a flat foot, or playing sports where you push off the toes a lot.
Extensor: Pain at the top part of your feet caused by excessive standing or wearing too-tightshoes.
What is Extensor Tendonitis?
Extensors are muscle groups found on the front of the leg and ankle with tendons running along the top of the foot. The extensor tendons handle lifting the foot in the gait cycles during walking and running.
The tendons connect the bones to the muscles on the front part of your leg and allow you to move the toes. When the extensor tendons have inflammation, it is known as extensor tendonitis.
What causes extensor tendonitis?
The main cause of tendonitis is overuse of the feet leading to small injuries that cause pain. The repetitive stress of the inflammation decreases the ability of the tendons to heal.
Some of the other major contributors are:
Overweight
Diabetes
Old age
Rheumatoid arthritis, Psoriatic arthritis
Weakness in the leg
Ill fitted shoes
Spending long hours standing, running
Poor exercise
Side effects of antibiotics
Earlier ankle/foot injury
Smoking
Symptoms of Extensor Tendonitis
Healing is on the way.
One of the main symptoms of foot extensor tendonitis is a pain in the top part of the feet. You may experience pain in both feet but usually, one foot is affected.
The common symptoms are:
Tendons become weaker
Inability to move toes
Pain while jumping, dancing or running
Pain while standing for a longer time
Sometimes, tingling, and numbness in the affected area
Recovery from Extensor Tendinopathy
In the early stages, the treatment of extensor tendinopathy begins with exercises. Controlling inflammation is the goal. It takes several months to feel better, but the symptoms improve if you follow the exercises and tips well.
Footwear: Don't wear hard, flat, and unsupportive footwear. Flat shoes aggravate the symptoms if one has tight calf muscles.
Weight: Maintaining moderate body weight to reduce the stress on heels.
Insoles: Use insoles to help reduce the stress and provide a cushion to the base of the heel.
Warm-up: Always do warm-up before engaging in sports and activities
Exercises: Follow the exercise routines suggested by your physician or physiotherapist. These exercises help in fastening your recovery.
Begin with easier exercises first. See some of the exercises you can do at home here.
Cold packs: Use cold packs or ice packs to reduce the inflammation. This allows them to heal.
Stretching: Gentle stretching help relieve the pain and reduces inflammation.
Medication: If your inflammation persists, take antibiotics as prescribed by your physician.
CAM: Controlled Ankle Motion (CAM) is an immobilization device prescribed by a physician. It reduces the workload these tendons do during the gait cycle.
An age-old remedy for extensor tendonitis is:
R: Rest: Limit the activity and give time to the tendons to recover
I: Ice: Apply ice packs for 20 minutes to help reduce inflammation
C: Compression: A medical wrap or ankle support or compression socks to reduce the swelling.
E: Elevation: Raise the feet on a pillow to keep them on the heart level
How can compression socks help?
Compression socks help in the following ways:
Support: Compression socks are designed to medically provide leg support, swelling, and the problem of poor circulation.
Recovery: Compression socks are worn during the recovery phase. They help in bringing the inflammation and soreness down.
You can also use compression socks as a preventive therapy.
Acts as a shield: Compression socks act as a shield between the feet and the shoes. It will help in protecting your feet and decrease any risk of aggravating the pain and swelling.
Prevention of pooling in veins: Compression socks help in reducing the blood pooling in the veins. This helps in reducing the risk of blood clots.
Buy soft and comfortable bamboo fiber socks here.
Conclusion
Tendonitis causes pain and swelling in the tendons of the feet. They are caused by overuse and injury to the tendons due to several reasons.
The first line of treatment is resting the ankle. Visit your healthcare provider and they will help you best depending on your level of swelling and pain. They may suggest insoles, anti-inflammatory medication, or physiotherapy.
Avoid the problem, remember to stretch your muscles before going for a walk or run. Use adequate shoes and socks to help with support and gradually increase the activity levels to reduce the risk of tendonitis.
