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Anterior Tibial Tendinopathy
Aka: Anterior Tibial Tendinopathy, Anterior Tibial Tendonitis, Tibialis Anterior Tendinitis
- Physiology
- Anterior tibial tendon function
- Foot dorsiflexion (major function)
- Foot adduction
- Foot inversion
- Causes
- Forced dorsflexion against resistance of a plantar flexed foot (eccentric stress on tibialis anterior tendon)
- Distance Running
- Soccer or football
- Chronic overuse in age over 45 years
- Signs
- Pain localized to the anterior ankle
- Palpable mass in low anterior leg if anterior tibial tendon rupture
- Weak foot dorsiflexion
- Foot Drop
- Slapping gait
- Differential Diagnosis
- Anterior Tibial Tendon Rupture
- Lumbar Radiculopathy
- Peroneal nerve palsy
- Complications
- Complete peroneal tendon rupture (more common in age >50-60 years)
- Management
- Immobilization (e.g. CAM walker boot)
- Start with 3 weeks of immobilization
- Additional 3 weeks of range of motion Exercises and immobilization (e.g. CAM Walker boot) with ambulation only
- Foot dorsiflexion strengthening
- Orthopedic referral for complete peroneal tendon rupture
- References
- Simpson (2009) Am Fam Physician 80(10): 1107-13 [PubMed]