From the Guidelines
If you suspect your 7-year-old daughter has a torn tendon, seek medical attention immediately from a pediatric orthopedic surgeon, as they are best equipped to handle musculoskeletal injuries in children. Apply the RICE protocol while waiting to see a doctor: Rest the injured area, Ice it for 15-20 minutes every 2-3 hours, Compress with an elastic bandage, and Elevate the injured limb above heart level. You can give children's acetaminophen (Tylenol) for pain at the appropriate dose for her weight (typically 10-15 mg/kg every 4-6 hours) or children's ibuprofen (Motrin/Advil) at 5-10 mg/kg every 6-8 hours if there's significant pain and swelling, as recommended by 1. Do not give aspirin to children. Avoid letting her put weight on the injury, and don't try to "work through" the pain. A proper diagnosis requires medical imaging like ultrasound or MRI that only healthcare providers can order, and treatment may range from immobilization with a splint or cast to physical therapy or, in severe cases, surgical repair, as suggested by 1.
Key Considerations
- Children's tendons are still developing, and injuries can affect growth plates, so professional evaluation is crucial.
- The sooner a tendon injury is properly treated, the better the chances for complete healing.
- A pediatric orthopedic surgeon has the necessary training and expertise to handle musculoskeletal injuries in children, including tendon injuries, as stated in 1.
- Relative rest of the affected area is an essential part of treatment, as recommended by 1.
- Eccentric strengthening exercises may also be beneficial in the treatment of overuse tendinopathies, as suggested by 1.
Treatment Options
- Immobilization with a splint or cast
- Physical therapy
- Surgical repair in severe cases
- Relative rest of the affected area
- Eccentric strengthening exercises
- Pain management with children's acetaminophen or ibuprofen, as recommended by 1.
Important Reminders
- Do not give aspirin to children.
- Avoid letting her put weight on the injury.
- Don't try to "work through" the pain.
- Seek medical attention immediately if you suspect a torn tendon, as emphasized by 1.
From the Research
Treatment Options for a Possible Torn Tendon in a 7-Year-Old Girl
- Conservative treatment modalities may be effective for acute tendon disorders, as seen in a 7-year-old girl who was successfully treated conservatively for an acute tear of her Achilles tendon 2.
- Corticosteroid injections may be used to treat chronic tendon disorders, but their use is not recommended for acute tendon ruptures, and their effects on tendon healing are largely unknown 3.
- Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) may have a mild effect on relieving symptoms, but they can be potentially deleterious to tissue healing, and their use should be reassessed 4.
- Paracetamol may be a better option for pain relief, as it has similar efficacy to NSAIDs but a lower side-effect profile 4.
Considerations for Treatment
- The timing of ibuprofen administration is critical to adequate tendon healing, with early administration being detrimental to tendon healing, while delayed administration does not affect tendon healing 5.
- Corticosteroid injections may achieve a mild to moderate reduction in pain for up to 6 weeks, but they do not promote tendon healing, and their use should be limited to cases where healing is not a critical goal 4, 6.
- Promising new therapeutic treatments for soft-tissue injuries include topical glyceryl trinitrate, aprotinin injections, and prolotherapy 4.
Specific Conditions
- Achilles tendinopathy, rotator-cuff tendinopathy, tennis elbow, and trigger finger are among the most frequent tendon problems, but the use of corticosteroid injections for these conditions is not well supported by scientific evidence 3.
- Corticosteroid injections may be effective for trigger finger and de Quervain tenosynovitis, but their use for other tendon disorders is not well established 3, 6.