ArticleBMJ open sport & exercise medicine2018
Surgical plantaris tendon removal for patients with plantaris tendon-related pain only and a normal Achilles tendon: a case series.
Article in BMJ open sport & exercise medicine, 2018. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 6 papers.
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Who cites it
6 citing papers in PubMed, 7 citations in OpenAlex.
- Achilles Tendon Scraping With Plantaris Tendon Removal for Achilles Tendinopathy: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis.Foot & ankle orthopaedics · 2025Review
- Tendinopathic Plantaris but Normal Achilles Tendon Found in About One-Fifth of Patients Not Responding to Conservative Achilles Tendon Management - Results from a Prospective WALANT Surgical Case Series on 105 Tendons.Open access journal of sports medicine · 2024Article
- Sharp pain in a normal Achilles tendon of a professional female football player was related to a plantaris tendon in a rare position: a case report.Journal of medical case reports · 2021Article
- Achilles Scraping and Plantaris Tendon Removal Improves Pain and Tendon Structure in Patients with Mid-Portion Achilles Tendinopathy-A 24 Month Follow-Up Case Series.Journal of clinical medicine · 2021Article
- Ultrasound and surgical inspection of plantaris tendon involvement in chronic painful insertional Achilles tendinopathy: a case series.BMJ open sport & exercise medicine · 2021Article
- Partial Achilles Tendon Rupture-A Neglected Entity: A Narrative Literature Review on Diagnostics and Treatment Options.Journal of clinical medicine · 2020Review
Corrections and comments
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Authors and funding
3 authors at 2 institutions in 2 countries.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
objectivesSurgical removal of the plantaris tendon can cure plantaris-associated Achilles tendinopathy, a condition in which Achilles and plantaris tendinopathy coexist. However, rare cases with plantaris tendinopathy alone are often misdiagnosed due to a normal Achilles tendon. DESIGN AND
settingProspective case series study at one centre.
participantsTen consecutive patients (9 men and one woman, mean age 35 years, range 19-67) with plantaris tendon-related pain alone in altogether 13 tendons were included. All had had a long duration (median 10 months, range 3 months to 10 years) of pain symptoms on the medial side of the Achilles tendon mid-portion. Preoperative ultrasound showed thickened plantaris tendon but a normal Achilles tendon.
interventionsOperative treatment consisting of ultrasound-guided excision of the plantaris tendon. PRIMARY AND SECONDARY OUTCOME MEASURES: Scores from Victorian Institute of Sports Assessment-Achilles questionnaire (VISA-A)were taken preoperatively and postoperatively (median duration 10 months). Patient satisfaction and time until full return to sports activity level was asked by a questionnaire.
resultsThe VISA-A scores increased from 61 (range 45-81) preoperatively to 97 (range 94-100) postoperatively (p<0.01). Follow-up results at 10 months (range 7-72 months) on 9/10 patients showed full satisfaction and return to their preinjury sports or recreational activity.
conclusionThe plantaris tendon should be kept in mind when evaluating painful conditions in the Achilles tendon region, especially when no Achilles tendinopathy is present. Excision of the plantaris tendon via a minor surgical procedure in local anaesthesia results in a good outcome.
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