Lower leg overuse injuries in athletes

Area of Science:

• Orthopedic Surgery
• Sports Medicine
• Athletic Injuries

Background:

• Achilles paratenonitis and medial tibial syndrome are prevalent overuse injuries in Finnish athletes, particularly affecting endurance sports like long-distance running.
• Conservative management is the initial approach, but surgical intervention becomes necessary when non-operative methods are unsuccessful.

Purpose of the Study:

• To present surgical techniques developed in Finland for Achilles paratenonitis and medial tibial syndrome.
• To report clinical follow-up results of operative treatments for these conditions.

Main Methods:

• Review of surgical methods used for Achilles paratenonitis and medial tibial syndrome.
• Analysis of clinical follow-up data from operated patients.

Main Results:

• Excellent or good outcomes were achieved in 92.4% of 291 patients with Achilles paratenonitis, 84.2% of 63 with retrocalcaneal bursitis, and 79% of 47 with medial tibial syndrome.
• Patients operated on for Achilles paratenonitis were older (mean 38.4 years) than those operated on for retrocalcaneal bursitis (mean 32.3 years).
• All surgical patients had previously failed conservative treatment.

Conclusions:

• Operative treatment is indicated for Achilles paratenonitis and medial tibial syndrome in athletes when conservative measures are ineffective.
• Finnish surgical techniques demonstrate high success rates for these overuse injuries.