What Is the Treatment Method for a Torn Tendon?

A torn tendon occurs when a tendon, which connects muscles to bones, frays and comes away from the bone. In some cases, the pain is mild and only home care is needed to treat the condition, while in other cases, it can be quite painful and surgery is required to fix the tear.

Home Treatment

• In some cases, only time is needed for a torn tendon to repair itself. If the pain is mild and a critical structure is damaged, your doctor may recommend surgery to repair it. If you decide on non-surgical treatment, there are some steps you can take to ease pain and speed recovery.

  The application of ice packs for 20 minute intervals will cut down on swelling. If pain is an issue, over-the-counter painkillers like aspirin or ibuprofen are helpful. It is important to limit your use of the affected muscle as it mends. A visit to a physical therapist can also be helpful as you can learn exercises that can help strengthen the affected area.

Surgery

• If you damage an important structure, such as the rotator cuff, surgery may be required to repair the torn tendon. Depending on the location of the tear, you can expect the use either local or general anesthesia during the procedure. Your doctor will then make an incision and either reattach the tendon to the bone or sew together torn pieces of tendon. If the tear is quite severe, your doctor may need to take a graft from a healthy tendon elsewhere in the body and use the tissue to make the repairs.

Complications

• It is important you speak to your doctor about the complications of tendon repair surgery before undergoing the procedure. Like any surgery, there is a risk of bleeding or infection during or after the operation. Also, scar tissue may form over the repaired tendon, which will limit your range of motion or cause you lose some function if the joint is damaged during surgery. People who are older than 60, obese people and smokers are at a higher risk of complications during surgery.