Good Outcome After Stripping the Plantaris Tendon in Patients with Chronic Mid-portion Achilles Tendinopathy

Overview

Journal Knee Surg Sports Traumatol Arthrosc

Publisher Wiley

Specialties Emergency Medicine
General Surgery
Orthopedics

Date 2011 May 5

PMID 21541711

Citations 21

Authors

Maayke N van Sterkenburg

Gino M M J Kerkhoffs

C Niek van Dijk

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

Purpose: Achilles tendinopathy is a problem that is generally difficult to treat. The pain is frequently most prominent on the medial side of the mid-portion of the tendon, where the plantaris tendon is running parallel to the Achilles tendon. The purpose of this study was to assess whether excision of the plantaris tendon would relieve symptoms.

Methods: Three patients with pain and stiffness at the mid-portion of the Achilles tendon were treated by excision of the plantaris tendon. Preoperatively, these patients experienced recognizable tenderness on palpation of the medial side of the mid-portion of the Achilles tendon with localized nodular thickening at 4-7 cm proximal to the insertion. MRI indicated Achilles tendinopathy with the involvement of the plantaris tendon.

Results: The plantaris tendon was bluntly retrieved and excised with a tendon stripper through a 4-cm incision in the proximal calf. We report a good-to-excellent outcome of this novel procedure in three patients with chronic mid-portion Achilles tendinopathy

Conclusion: The medial pain might be based on the involvement of the plantaris tendon in the process.

Level Of Evidence: IV.

Citing Articles

Duplication of the Plantaris Tendon and Its Clinical Significance: A Case Report.

Araujo J, Pais N, Andrade A Cureus. 2025; 16(12):e75493.

PMID: 39791079 PMC: 11717443. DOI: 10.7759/cureus.75493.

Combined Midportion Achilles and Plantaris Tendinopathy: A 1-Year Follow-Up Study after Ultrasound and Color-Doppler-Guided WALANT Surgery in a Private Setting in Southern Sweden.

Alfredson H, Walden M, Roberts D, Spang C Medicina (Kaunas). 2023; 59(3).

PMID: 36984438 PMC: 10056337. DOI: 10.3390/medicina59030438.

An atypical case of calf pain: Plantaris tendon axial instability.

Schwitzguebel A, Paulin E, Meena A J Clin Orthop Trauma. 2022; 32:101985.

PMID: 36035785 PMC: 9403555. DOI: 10.1016/j.jcot.2022.101985.

The clinical diagnosis of Achilles tendinopathy: a scoping review.

Matthews W, Ellis R, Furness J, Hing W PeerJ. 2021; 9:e12166.

PMID: 34692248 PMC: 8485842. DOI: 10.7717/peerj.12166.

Level of Evidence for the Treatment of Chronic Noninsertional Achilles Tendinopathy.

Peters M, Walsh K, Day C, Younger A, Salat P, Penner M Foot Ankle Spec. 2021; 16(4):406-426.

PMID: 33749355 PMC: 10422862. DOI: 10.1177/19386400211001261.

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