Recurrent peroneal tendon dislocation in a football player-an un-common, but important consequence of an ankle injury

Background:Recurrent peroneal tendon dislocation is a condition where one or both peroneal tendons dislocate from the retromalleolar space during active or passive dorsiflexion and eversion movements of the ankle.Usually, it appears after an ankle sprain, which can be misleading in making the diagnosis, since the lateral ankle ligaments are the main focus for most physicians.The report aims to present a case of recurrent peroneal tendon dislocation in a football player who was initially misdiagnosed and wrongly treated with ankle arthroscopy. Case presentation:A 24-year-old male football player presented four months after an ankle sprain.He complained of pain, swelling, and a "popping" sensation in the retromalleolar sulcus posterior and superior of the lateral malleolus of the right leg.After the physical examination, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) was conducted, and one month later, anterior ankle arthroscopy was performed.Afterward, the patient underwent 30 sessions of physical therapy, yielding no improvement.One year after the initial injury, an examination showed clinical signs of instability of the peroneal tendons, and another surgery was indicated.Open surgery was performed with the patient in the lateral decubitus position, and under spinal anesthesia.The modified Singapore method was used.Repair of the superior peroneal retinaculum was performed.The perioperative course was uneventful, and the patient was able to bear full weight on his foot two months after surgery and return to sports activities six months after surgery. Conclusion:Recurrent peroneal tendon dislocation is a relatively uncommon condition that may occur after an ankle injury, thus a detailed history and thorough clinical examination are needed to make the correct diagnosis.Our report shows that the modified Singapore operation is highly effective with excellent functional results.