Traumatic dislocations of the peroneal tendons.

Area of Science:

• Orthopedic Surgery
• Sports Medicine
• Anatomy

Background:

• Traumatic dislocation of the peroneal tendons is an underrecognized injury.
• It most commonly occurs during snow skiing due to excessive dorsiflexion or inversion stress.
• Pain, swelling, and ecchymosis can obscure early diagnosis.

Purpose of the Study:

• To highlight the diagnostic challenges and findings associated with traumatic peroneal tendon dislocation.
• To review treatment options for acute and chronic cases.
• To report on associated findings, such as peroneus brevis tendon splitting.

Main Methods:

• Review of cases with traumatic peroneal tendon dislocation.
• Clinical examination focusing on retromalleolar pain during active eversion.
• Radiographic assessment, including evaluation for lateral malleolar fractures.
• Surgical repair techniques for acute and chronic injuries.

Main Results:

• Intense retromalleolar pain on active eversion is a specific diagnostic finding.
• Fracture of the lateral malleolar cortex is diagnostic.
• Chronic cases show marked tendon dislocation and snapping.
• Longitudinal splitting of the peroneus brevis tendon was observed.

Conclusions:

• Early diagnosis of peroneal tendon dislocation is crucial, with specific clinical signs aiding identification.
• Surgical repair is advocated for both acute and chronic injuries.
• Reconstruction of the peroneal retinaculum or deepening of the peroneal groove may be necessary for chronic or recurrent dislocations.