Ankle Tendons

The ankle tendons are a very common site for sports injury. All of the muscles of the lower leg attach to the ankle and foot through tendons. With all of these soft tissue structures, and the repetitive stress of sports participation, you are bound to end up with with tendonitis.

Lets take a closer look at ankle anatomy and explore the tendons of the ankle.

The Medial Side

The medial side of the ankle is home to several different tendons. The most commonly injured of these is the posterior tibialis tendon. It runs behind the medial malleolus (ankle bone) and attaches at the mid-foot.

This tendon helps to maintain the arch of the foot, and to control pronation.

Also pictured is the achilles tendon, which attaches to the calcaneus. This is the insertion for the calf muscles, and is a very common site for achilles tendonitis.

Also on the medial side of the ankle are the flexor hallicus longus and flexor digitorum. These tendons run along the medial malleolus with the posterior tibialis, and attach to the great toe and the lesser toes respectively.

The Lateral Side

The peroneal tendons are one of the most commonly injured ankle tendons. There are three peroneal tendons, and they all run along the outside of the ankle behind the lateral malleolus. They attach at the base of the 5th metatarsal, and also on the bottom of the foot.

Peroneal tendonitis is a common problem with sports activities. These tendons can also be strained with ankle sprains. With the forceful turning of the ankle, not only are the ligaments injured, but also the tendons.

The Anterior Side

The anterior tibialis tendon is the most commonly injured tendon on the top of the foot.

This tendon runs down the front of the leg and attaches to the midfoot tarsal bones. It helps to pull the foot towards the body, and to control motion during activity.

The other tendons on the anterior side of the ankle, or the top of the foot include the extensor digitorum and the extensor hallicus tendons. The extensor digitorum attaches to the lesser toes, while the extensor hallicus attaches to the great toe.

Summary

The ankle tendons are very important because they attach the muscles of the lower leg to the foot. They are a common site for tendonitis, especially with the repetitive stress of sports activities.

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