Peroneal Tendonitis Causes and a Complete Injury Guide

Peroneal Tendonitis

Peroneal tendonitis is classified as the inflammation of the peroneal tendon, which occurs when you overuse the tendons. This results in friction between the tendons and bones. In response, the tendons will swell and thicken to try managing heavy loads. For each leg, there are two peroneal tendons that span across the ankle to the foot.

Some causes of peroneal tendonitis are:

• Playing sports causing repetitive and straining motions for the ankle
• Uncomfortable and unsupportive footwear
• Asynchronous joint and limb coordination
• Activities requiring a lot of weight-lifting

It is vital to seek treatment if you feel pain for over two days. Do not neglect aching legs and feet; tend to them as soon as possible.

Peroneal Tendonitis – The Complete Injury Guide

If you think you may have peroneal tendonitis, you may need to consult a pedorthist. In the meantime, learn to optimize fast recovery to prevent further complications and delays in having pain-free feet.

First, it’s important to note that peroneal tendonitis is not spontaneous. Whatever the underlying cause is behind your injury, it is likely that you’ve been doing it for quite some time. Most commonly, improper footwear and overusing your feet are the causes for peroneal tendonitis, as mentioned in the previous section.

Now that you are experiencing pain, how do you diagnose it? There are specific symptoms pertaining to the condition. Here are a couple to list:

• Tenderness and swelling around the ankle
• Pain surrounding the ankle when you turn on your feet
• Weakness at the ankle and feet

To diagnose peroneal tendonitis, advanced imaging such as ultrasound and x-rays are used to determine the extent of your condition. These imaging techniques are useful to determine if there are any other conditions or injuries associated with peroneal tendonitis, such as ankle sprains. Further evaluation by foot experts is also recommended to maximize the recovery period and get the most correct diagnosis.

To treat peroneal tendonitis, there are many things you can do to speed up your recovery. Here are some to list:

• A splint to disallow excessive movement of the ankle
• Anti-inflammatory medication
• Ankle braces
• RICE method (rest, ice, compression, and elevation)
• Exercise

For the exercises, there are quite a few moves that can relieve the onset of pain.

• The lower leg calf stretch
• The calf muscle stretch
• Standing soleus stretch

Recovery can span from a week to three weeks typically. If you continue following the steps to heal, then you will be guaranteed a faster recovery. In the future, minimize the strain on your ankles, especially during extreme physical activity.

Peroneal Tendon Strain Ankle Braces

Let’s talk about the support needed to help you heal with peroneal tendonitis and similar ankle injuries. Now that you know to prevent strain on your ankles, how exactly can you heal when you have to walk regularly? This is where the significance of ankle braces comes into play. BioSkin’s ankle braces are highly recommended by several experts, as they provide adequate support, comfort, and stability for your ankles. The period you need to wear the ankle brace for and the type are based on the severity of your peroneal tendonitis. A common misconception is that ankle braces hurt when you use it for injuries such as tendonitis. This is not true! A brace is meant to provide support and be comfortable.

How does one deal with chronic peroneal tendonitis?

If left untreated, peroneal tendonitis can become chronic and lead to other sprains and strains. To manage chronic peroneal tendonitis, anti-inflammatory medication such as ibuprofen can settle the pain. Avoid movement of the foot and seek plenty of rest. In a chronic condition, your foot is weak and the last thing you want is to strain it. Braces are especially important to support and stabilize your foot, as it will prevent movement of your ankle. Follow with the RICE method, and you will be able to heal within weeks to months.

What’s the best brace to wear for a weak ankle?

With a weak ankle, you can feel your ankle sometimes give out or feel unstable. To counter this, you will need to wear a brace, and as the name implies, ankle braces are used for weak ankles. Brands such as BioSkin and Aircast are popular for ankle braces, but ligament support within the braces are an added bonus. According to the healthandcare.uk.co, the BioSkin TriLok Ankle Ligaments Support is recommended by experts because of the brace’s ability to correct position and can be used with socks and shoes. As long as your ankle brace is providing stability, comfort, and support, it will do the job just fine.

What can I do to strengthen my ankles?

Exercising regularly by performing calf and ankle stretches are recommended for strengthening ankles. The key to having strong ankles is to wear supportive footwear that will prevent weak and unstable ankles. Consult a pedorthist or foot expert before performing exercises to ensure that it is safe to do so. Exercising while you’re in pain can result in your condition worsening.

How to heal an injured tendon?

Injured tendons can be treated at home by using the RICE method. Make sure to especially rest and regularly use the affected area. Easy and simple exercises can be performed at your pedorthist or doctor’s discretion. If further action is required, you may be referred to a physiotherapist to help relieve the pain. Along with rest, it is sometimes necessary to move around, and using a brace for preventing excessive movement that affects the tendon will help in your recovery.

How long does tendonitis last?

As mentioned before, peroneal tendonitis specifically takes about a week to three to heal, but what about other tendonitis conditions? For many people, the recovery period lasts from two to three weeks, but can be quicker or longer, depending on how you follow up with your condition. Remember, only you know the limit you can push yourself to. Dedicate some time to heal your tendonitis, and you’ll be recovering in no time!

If you’re suffering from ankle/heel pain due to Peroneal Tendonitis, or any other foot/ankle condition, our Burlington pedororthist can help! Serving Burlington, Milton, Waterdown, Hamilton, and Oakville areas we help you get back to healthy and happy living. Call us at 289-245-6624.