2008 Peroneal Tendon Syndromes eMedicine Sports

Description: Injuries to the peroneal tendons are common but not always clinically significant. They are misdiagnosed as a lateral ankle sprain most of the time, because isolated injury to the peroneal tendons is rare. Injury can occur in one or both peroneus longus and brevis tendons and is typically classified as acute or chronic. Function can be severely compromised by any tendon disruption; conversely, complete tendon rupture can be asymptomatic. Lesions have been seen in symptomatic patients, as well as in cadaver studies of patients who were presumably asymptomatic. The reason for this variation is not known.
Steven J Karageanes, DO & Kathleen Sharp, MD