Peroneal tendonitis is an unpleasant condition characterized by swelling and pain just below the bone of the outer ankle. Peroneal tendonitis can result from a “simple sprain” and is suspected when swelling persists. It usually heals well with proper care, but can become chronic if you’re not careful. Here’s how you can help stop that happening:
Don’t rush back into action…
It’s natural that you’ll be eager to get back to your regular activity level, but doing this before your injury has healed can make it last a lot longer. Take things slow for a while.
- Rest is an important part of recovery from peroneal tendonitis. Avoid putting pressure on the affected foot for a while, and don’t do anything that causes it pain.
- Ice therapy is often useful for soothing the pain of this injury – but don’t overdo it. Apply the ice for around 10 minutes, and then remove it for an hour before re-applying it.
- If healing seems to be taking a long time, schedule a visit with your podiatrist. Catching more serious problems, like a torn tendon, early usually makes them easier to treat.
…but you can still exercise
Although you should be careful not to put too much weight on your injured foot while it’s healing, that doesn’t mean you can’t do anything at all. In fact, sensible exercising will help your foot in the healing process, and keep it from becoming stiff.
- Activities that don’t place a lot of pressure on your feet, like cycling or swimming, can help to keep your ankle and foot joints supple.
- Gently stretch the muscles around the ankle and in the calf, since this resting on its own can lead to muscle tightness, which can itself be a cause of foot injury.
- Deep tissue massage helps some people to reduce muscle tension, while you may also find that painkillers like ibuprofen can help – but always check with a doctor first before doing this.