If you have diabetes and you feel pain when you move, you may have an abnormality in your tendon. Tendons are the rope-like connective tissue that connects muscle to bone. High blood sugar may have an adverse effect on the tendon.
Tendons are found throughout the body, including the shoulder, arm, wrist, hip, knee, and ankle. They transmit force from the muscles to the bones so that the body can move.
With poorly controlled diabetes, tendons can get thicker and tear more easily.
How does diabetes damage tendons?
Tendon damage in type 1 and type 2 diabetes is caused by substances called advanced glycosylation end products (AGE), which form when protein or fat in the blood mixes with sugar.
Under normal circumstances, the body ages at a slow and steady rate. But when you have diabetes, the excess sugar in the blood accelerates the rate of aging and affects the tendons.
Tendons are made up of a protein called collagen. Collagen is associated with age, and age can change the structure of tendons and affect their effectiveness. For example, they may become thicker than usual and may not be able to hold the weight they used to be able to hold. As a result, there is an increased risk of tendon tears.
The following tendon problems may occur if diabetes is not well controlled.
- Frozen shoulder: Stiffness and pain occurs when the joint capsule surrounding the tendons and ligaments in the joint thickens.
- Rotator cuff tears: Injury to the tendons and muscles surrounding the shoulder joint, including the supraspinatus.
- Trigger finger: The finger gets stuck in a bent position and straightens with a clicking sound, similar to pulling a trigger.
- Carpal Tunnel Syndrome: Numbness, tingling, and weakness in the wrist due to pressure on the nerves in the wrist.
- Dupuytren’s contracture: Thickening of the tissue under the skin of the hand, causing the fingers to bend toward the palm of the hand.
Tendon injuries are extremely painful and can impede joint movement. Even if the injury is surgically repaired, the tendon can tear again. Studies show that more than 1 in 3 people with diabetes have problems that reappear after surgery to repair a torn rotator cuff.
How does tendon damage affect diabetes?
Exercise is crucial to managing diabetes, but you may find it more difficult to exercise when the tendon is painful and stiff.
An Achilles tendon injury may limit ankle movement. The restriction of movement puts extra pressure on the midfoot with each step, which subsequently increases the risk of trauma to the foot.
Consult your doctor to make sure your blood sugar stays low after the tendon problem has recovered.
How do I prevent and treat tendon injuries?
The best way to avoid tendon injury is to manage your diabetes. Use diet, exercise, and medications to lower your blood sugar. If you are already overweight, try to lose weight. Losing weight will improve your health and reduce stress on your tendons.
If you already have a tendon injury, ask your doctor about the following treatments:
- Use pain medications such as aspirin or ibuprofen;
- Use of muscle relaxant medications;
- Physical therapy and exercise;
- Heat or ice packs;
- The use of splints to keep the joint stable while the tendon heals.
The doctor may also recommend steroid injections into the joint to relieve the tendon problem. Keep in mind that steroids can cause a short-term increase in blood sugar levels. Always ask your doctor if the benefits of steroid therapy outweigh the risks.