Peroneal tendonitis is characterized by ankle inflammation or irritation of one or both of the peroneal tendons.
Tendons are bands of tissue that connect muscles to bones. The two peroneal tendons are located on the outside of the foot and ankle and connect the peroneal muscles of the calf to the bones of the foot. They provide stability of the foot and help us with balance.
Peroneal tendonitis occurs from:
Peroneal tendon pain is common in these sports:
You may have peroneal tendonitis if you experience the following symptoms:
If peroneal tendonitis goes untreated or is severe, it can lead to peroneal tendon rupture . This will require surgical intervention.
If you have outer ankle pain and think that you may have peroneal tendonitis, treat initially using the following steps:
If you have symptoms of peroneal tendonitis, make an appointment with an orthopedic specialist. If left untreated, peroneal tendon pain can worsen and may even lead to peroneal tendon rupture.
During your appointment, your doctor will ask you to describe your symptoms and will do a physical examination of the foot and ankle. Your doctor will place pressure on the foot and ankle to look for tenderness and will move the foot around to check range of motion
To make a diagnosis and to rule out damage to other structures, like a bone fracture, your doctor may prescribe the following imaging tests:
Peroneal tendonitis is almost always treated using conservative, non-operative treatment methods, including:
Try these exercises to help address your condition:
Below is a PDF of the Exercise Program
In rare cases, conservative treatments may not relieve symptoms of peroneal tendonitis, and a rupture of the peroneal tendon(s) can occur. Surgery can repair the damaged tendon and/or to reattach the torn tendon(s) and restore stability of the foot.
Recovery from mild peroneal tendonitis typically takes two to four weeks with conservative treatments. Patients will be instructed to work with a physical therapist to regain mobility and strength of the ankle and foot. Athletes can return to full activities once they have recovered full range of motion with no pain.
https://www.physio-pedia.com/Peroneal_Tendinopathy
It usually happens in athletes from a sudden, forceful motion—think snapping the ankle upward or rolling it outward. The tricky part? It’s often mistaken for an ankle sprain, so it gets overlooked.
Yes—if left unchecked. The peroneal nerve sits right near these tendons, and chronic swelling can start pressing on it. That’s when tingling, numbness, or weakness creeps into the foot and ankle.
Bad idea. Ignoring it risks a full tendon rupture—a much bigger problem to fix. Early assessment is key to stopping it from snowballing.
Tendons don’t get great blood flow, so they heal at a crawl. Instead of fresh oxygen and nutrients from blood, they rely on slow synovial fluid nourishment. That’s why repetitive stress keeps re-injuring them—they never quite catch up.
