Patients who visit our Arlington, VA, ankle specialist for Achilles Tendonitis are sometimes surprised to learn they're actually suffering from a somewhat different injury called Achilles Tendonosis. Whether your tendon troubles are in your Achilles tendon or elsewhere in your feet or ankles, it is important to understand the difference between these two ailments.
Learn About Tendon Injuries from Our Arlington, VA, Ankle Specialist
What Is Tendonitis?
The suffix "-itis" means inflammation. Therefore, tendonitis (sometimes spelled "tendinitis") is a medical way of saying one of your tendons has become inflamed. Your tendons are thick cords that attach your muscles to bone. If a tendon gets overused or otherwise injured, the swelling and irritation can make it painful for you to move that part of your body.
Typically, tendonitis is a one-time injury that is best treated with conservative measures such as RICE (rest, ice, compression, elevation). According to our ankle specialist in Arlington, You can suffer from tendonitis more than once, and your tendonitis CAN transform into tendonosis if you do not allow your body to heal properly from its initial injury.
What Is Tendonosis?
Tendonosis (sometimes spelled "tendinosis") is also an injury to your tendon, but it doesn't have to involve inflammation. (In fact, a tendon suffering from tendonosis won't generally be inflamed or swollen.)
Tendonosis is the result of repetitive injury or insufficient healing in your tendon. When your tendon suffers injury multiple times or for an extended period of time, it can lose its strength. Tendonosis also increases the likelihood of additional injury if you don't properly care for it. Because the damage in tendonosis is on the cellular level, your Arlington, VA, ankle specialist or foot specialist may recommend more involved treatment, depending on the severity of your case.
Do You Suffer from Tendonitis or Tendonosis? Call Our Arlington, VA, Ankle Specialist Today!
Both tendonitis and tendonosis can occur anywhere you have a tendon attaching muscle to bone. Two very common examples are injury to the ankle (Achilles tendonitis & Achilles tendonosis) and in the bottom of the foot (plantar fasciitis & plantar fasciosis).
If you are suffering from pain in your foot or ankle, our experienced foot and ankle specialist in Arlington, VA, can diagnose and treat your injury to restore your mobility. Call The Podiatry Center for an appointment today!
The information provided in this article is not meant to be medical advice and is for educational purposes only. If you would like to learn more about this and other topics related to podiatry, feel free to contact The Podiatry Center, with a convenient podiatry office near Arlington, VA, by clicking here or by calling 301.656.6055.
