Posterior Tibial Tendinitis
Prevention and Treatment of Posterior Tibial Tendinitis
To help prevent posterior tibial tendinitis, forego high-impact exercise; instead, do low-impact exercise such as bicycling, elliptical trainer or swimming. To help ensure that your feet are optimally protected during activity, IPFH suggests wearing properly selected and fitted, as part of an integrated approach, padded socks with shoes with non-slip outsoles and any inserts or orthotics prescribed or recommended by a doctor or foot health professional.
Treatment includes rest, cutting back on activities that worsen the pain, icing and anti-inflammatory medication, if tolerated.
For more serious cases, your doctor may prescribe a cast or walking boot, which allows the tendon to rest and the swelling to diminish. Orthotics and braces are often recommended if the condition becomes chronic, and especially if it leads to posterior tibial tendon dysfunction.
More aggressive treatments include physical therapy to help strengthen the tendon; steroid injection (typically not done in the posterior tibial tendon area, and used only as a last resort prior to surgery if less invasive therapy is not effective); or surgery if pain does not decrease after six months of less invasive treatment.