If you’re dealing with pain or tenderness along the outside of your ankle but didn’t recently suffer a sprain, there’s a possibility that your discomfort is being caused by an issue with your peroneal tendons. These tendons run along the outside of your lower leg, behind the ankle bone, and they connect muscles in your lower leg to bones in your foot. Different issues can plague these tendons, but one of the more common issues we see, especially among active adults, is called peroneal tenosynovitis. Below, we take a closer look at why peroneal tenosynovitis develops, the symptoms it produces and how Dr. McDonald can help you treat the condition.

Causes And Symptoms Of Peroneal Tenosynovitis

Peroneal tenosynovitis develops when the tissue that surrounds and lubricates your tendons becomes inflamed. This area is known as the synovial sheath, and it plays an essential role in ensuring your tendons can move and handle stress appropriately. When it becomes damaged or inflamed, joint movement becomes much less fluid.

In most instances, this inflammation develops as a result of repetitive stress or overstress on the tendons and foot complex. Because of this, the condition is quite common in amateur athletes, weekend warriors and runners who regularly put a lot of stress on their feet. While repetitive stress is the most common cause of peroneal tenosynovitis, it can also develop following acute damage to the area, perhaps during a severe ankle sprain, or onset can be related to underlying health disorders like rheumatoid arthritis or similar autoimmune disease.

Symptoms will vary based on the extent of your inflammation, but most patients present with different degrees of the following symptoms:

• Pain, particularly on the outside of the ankle pain
• Swelling
• Tenderness
• Difficult walking or running
• Lower leg/Ankle weakness
• Ankle instability

Peroneal tenosynovitis is unlikely to heal without proactive treatment, and failure to address the underlying issue can lead to worsening symptoms, so connect with a medical professional to put your discomfort behind you once and for all.

Diagnosing And Treating Peroneal Tenosynovitis

Most foot specialists will be able to diagnose peroneal tenosynovitis through a physical exam and conversation with the patient, but imaging tests to confirm their diagnosis or rule out a more serious issue may be ordered in certain cases. If your doctor believes that peroneal tenosynovitis is to blame, they’ll walk you through a standard conservative care plan, which typically includes a combination of the following protocols:

• Rest/Activity Avoidance – You don’t need to lay in bed for a week, but your doctor will want you to avoid certain high-intensity activities for a while to provide an ideal environment for inflammation to resolve.
• Anti-Inflammatory Medications – Over-the-counter medications can provide some additional inflammation relief.
• Physical Therapy – Once inflammation is under control, your doctor will have you gradually take on more physical activities and work to strengthen the peroneal tendons and the nearby soft tissue groups with the help of targeted physical therapy.

Depending on the specifics of your case, your physician may also recommend hot/cold therapy or orthotic inserts to help with inflammation control and to take stress off the peroneal tendons. The vast majority of patients will make a significant recovery by following these techniques for a few weeks, but some people require more hands-on care. In these instances, a corticosteroid injection may help to resolve inflammation. The need for surgery is quite rare, but it may be used if damaged tissue needs to be removed in order for healing to effectively take place.

Don’t live another day with persistent pain on the outside of your ankle. Instead, connect with a foot specialist who can get you back to walking without discomfort. For more information, or for help with a different foot or ankle issue, connect with Dr. McDonald and his team today at (860) 244-8889.