Type of Surgery
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Last updated: 11/24/2009
Tendon injuries are widespread in the general adult population. They are more common among people whose occupations or recreational athletic activities require repetitive motion of the shoulder, knee, elbow, or ankle joints. Injuries to the tendons...
in the shoulder often occur among baseball players, window washers, violinists, dancers, carpenters, and some assembly line workers. Rowers are at increased risk for injuries to the forearm tendons. The repetitive stresses of classical ballet, running, and jogging may damage the Achilles tendon at the back of the heel. So-called tennis elbow, which occurs in many construction workers, highway crews, maintenance workers, and baggage handlers as well as professional golfers and tennis players, is thought to affect 5% of American adults over the age of 30.
Women in all age brackets are at greater risk than men for injuries to the tendons in the elbow and knee joints. It is thought that injuries in these areas are related to the slightly greater looseness of women's joints compared to those in men.
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The Achilles tendon is the major tendon that connects the lower leg to the foot. Without your Achilles tendon, you would not be able to point your foot or walk effectively. This narrated animation describes how tears in the Achilles tendon are repaired surgically.
To repair a torn tendon, incisions are made to expose the area for repair (A). Some tendons can be reattached through one incision (B), while others require two to access the severed point and the remaining tendon (C). A special splint that minimizes stretching the tendons may be worn after surgery (E). (Illustration by GGS Inc.)
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Tendon repair refers to the surgical repair of damaged or torn tendons, which are cord-like structures made of strong fibrous connective tissue that connect muscles to bones. The shoulder, elbow, knee, and ankle joints are the most commonly affected by tendon injuries.
The goal of tendon repair is to restore the normal function of joints or their surrounding tissues following a tendon laceration.
From http://www.surgeryencyclopedia.com/St-Wr/Tendon-Repair.html
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New procedures like minimally invasive procedures are often subject to scrutiny, but I think that one of the biggest problems facing these innovative procedures is for people to understand exactly what we do.
-Dr. Michael Perry, Laser Spine institute
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