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What is Peroneal Tendinopathy?

If you experience pain on the outside of your foot or leg you may be experiencing Peroneal Tendinopathy. A common cause of this is an injury to the peroneal tendon. The peroneal tendon supports the ankle and helps pronate the foot (roll the foot in).

We have two peroneal muscles that work together to stabilize the foot and ankle. The larger peroneal tendon is called the Peroneal Longus and the shorter peroneal tendon is called the Peroneal Brevis. The peroneal muscles start in the outer leg before turning into tendons as they run around the outside aspect of the ankle. Both tendons then insert into the lateral aspect of the foot. Pain can be felt at any of these points in the leg, ankle, or foot and could be coming from one of the muscles, or sometimes both.

Peroneal Tendinopathy Snapshot

  • Can occur with high grade ankle sprains
  • Pain on the outside of your leg
  • More common in high arched feet
  • Shockwave therapy is a recommended treatment

Causes

Causes of Peroneal Tendinopathy

  • Flat feet or high arched feet causing strain to the muscle, generally from overactivity or overstretching of the soft tissues.
  • Footwear, particularly shoes that do not provide enough support and have worn down on the outside heel.
  • Direct trauma to the tendon.
  • Severe ankle sprains resulting in damage to this tendon.
  • Chronic ankle instability or weakness.

Symptoms

Peroneal Tendinopathy Symptoms

  • Pain on the outer aspect of the leg, outside of the ankle, or outside of the foot.
  • Swelling, bruising, redness, heat in these areas.
  • Unstable and/ or weak ankles.
  • Loss of strength or function of the foot or leg.
  • Walking with a limp.
  • Possible popping or clicking sound when walking.

Treatment

Treatment for Peroneal Tendinopathy

If you are experiencing pain in the outer leg or foot,Well Heeled Podiatry can undertake a proper assessment and diagnosis. We can offer all of the above treatment options to reduce your pain and get you functioning properly again.

Seeking advice and treatment early is advised. This is to prevent further deterioration, tearing, and possible rupture of the tendon.

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