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Flexor Hallucis Longus Tendon

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Foot and Ankle Sports Orthopaedics

Abstract

Athletic disorders of the flexor hallucis longus (FHL) tendon primarily afflict dancers and tend to be overuse injuries. The commonest symptom is posteromedial ankle pain, arising from FHL disease in the unyielding fibro-osseous tunnel at the posterior talus. Less common sites are the knot of Henry in the midfoot and intersesamoid area in the forefoot. A high degree of suspicion is necessary to distinguish FHL pathology from co-existing clinical entities, since the FHL is intimately related with various other structures in its course. Conservative treatment focuses on FHL stretching exercises. Surgery is reserved for athletes with debilitating symptoms refractory to nonoperative measures. Open and arthroscopic approaches each have advantages and disadvantages, however no consensus exists regarding the superiority of one over the other. Rehabilitation cornerstones are neuromuscular re-education, rectifying faulty sport technique, and physical conditioning to minimize recurrence.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Khoo Teck Puat Hospital, 90 Yishun Central, Singapore, 768828, Singapore

    May Fong Mak FRCSEd (Ortho)

  2. Center for Surgery of the Foot & Ankle, Clinique La Colline, Av. Beau-Séjour 6, Geneva, 1206, Switzerland

    Mathieu Assal MD

Authors
  1. May Fong Mak FRCSEd (Ortho)
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  2. Mathieu Assal MD
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Correspondence to May Fong Mak FRCSEd (Ortho) .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Swiss Medical Network Basel, Orthopaedic Department SWISS ORTHO CENTER Schmerzklinik Basel, Basel Stadt, Switzerland

    Victor Valderrabano

  2. Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, North Carolina, USA

    Mark Easley

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Mak, M.F., Assal, M. (2016). Flexor Hallucis Longus Tendon. In: Valderrabano, V., Easley, M. (eds) Foot and Ankle Sports Orthopaedics. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-15735-1_26

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-15735-1_26

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  • Publisher Name: Springer, Cham

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-319-15734-4

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-319-15735-1

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