What is it?
Injuries range from tendinitis to longitudinal splits and tears, and to subluxation, in which the tendons snap over the ankle bone because the retaining tissue is torn.
What causes it?
- Repeated ankle sprains
- Sports with cutting or quick direction change
- High-arched feet
- An acute injury during forceful ankle movement
What does it feel like?
- Pain and swelling behind and below the outer ankle bone
- A snapping or popping sensation
- Weakness or instability of the ankle
How is it diagnosed?
Exam of tendon strength and stability. Ultrasound in the office can show tears and tendons slipping in real time; MRI is used for surgical planning.
When should you see a podiatrist?
- Outer ankle pain lasting more than a couple of weeks
- Snapping behind the ankle bone
- Ankle weakness after a sprain
Nonsurgical treatment
- Boot or brace
- Rest the tendons.
- Physical therapy
- Strength and balance.
- Orthotics
- Particularly lateral wedging for high arches.
- Anti-inflammatory measures
- For tendinitis.
When is surgery considered?
Surgery is considered for tears that remain painful despite conservative care, and often for tendons that repeatedly dislocate.
Torn tendons are repaired or, if badly damaged, connected to the healthy neighboring tendon. Dislocating tendons are stabilized by deepening the groove and repairing the retaining tissue.
Related procedures
What is recovery like?
Several weeks in a boot, then physical therapy, with return to sports commonly around three to four months.
Frequently asked questions
Is a peroneal tendon tear the same as an ankle sprain?
No, though they often occur together. A sprain injures ligaments; a peroneal injury involves tendons. Persistent pain after a 'sprain' may be a missed tendon injury.