What is a tendon?

Frequently, we hear of athletes with tendon injuries or see a friend who is being treated for tendonitis. What exactly is a tendon? A tendon is a type of soft tissue that connects a muscle to a bone. It is usually tough and strong, but it can change over time from injuries, disease, aging, or repetitive trauma (continuous and repeated use). Tendonitis is acute inflammation of a tendon. Overtime, tendonitis can escalate to what is known as tendonosis, which is a chronic irritation of a tendon that can result in changes to the make up of the tendon and can cause small tears in the tendon. Either way, it is essential to seek medical help if you have a tendon issue that is not resolving. There are several tendons in the foot and ankle which can be injured, and there are many conservative, non-surgical treatments that can help! Dr. Bender, 708-763-0580