Tender Spot Injection Therapy for Ankle and Foot Pain

Abstract

Pain of the ankle and foot following injury or surgery indicates soft tissue damage to muscle, tendons, periosteum or ligaments. Injection of a long acting corticosteroid such as triamcinolone with lignocaine to tender spots will relieve pain. Softened collagen at the site of injection will stretch, and heal to normal length and strength. However, care must be taken not to inject close to tendon, since softening may induce rupture. There is particular danger of this in the Achilles tendon. Case histories are given showing the tender spot injection sites used, and composite diagrams of all 69 tender spots found in a series of 28 patients with ankle or foot pain are illustrated.