The plantaris has the longest tendon in the body (30-45 cm) despite its tiny muscle belly, making it the preferred graft for posterior tibial tendon reconstruction and hand and upper limb tendon grafts. It is absent in 7-10% of individuals. The plantaris muscle belly tears in the classic tennis leg injury — a sudden pop in the calf during pushing off, producing acute medial calf pain often confused with DVT. MRI shows fluid between the gastrocnemius and soleus at the musculotendinous junction level.
Vestigial ankle plantarflexion; proprioceptive sensory function; tendon graft donor site
Plantaris muscle tear (tennis leg) produces a sharp posterior leg pain with a pop during explosive push-off in recreational tennis players, runners, and middle-aged athletes. The fluid collection between gastrocnemius and soleus on MRI is characteristic. Conservative management with compression, ice, and progressive loading resolves most injuries. The tendon harvest leaves no functional deficit.
Plantaris muscle belly tear producing acute medial calf pain and between-muscle haematoma on MRI, managed conservatively with compression and progressive loading.
This website uses cookies to enhance your experience. Some are essential for site functionality, while others help us analyze and improve your usage experience. Please review your options and make your choice.
If you are under 16 years old, please ensure that you have received consent from your parent or guardian for any non-essential cookies.
Your privacy is important to us. You can adjust your cookie settings at any time. For more information about how we use data, please read our privacy policy. You may change your preferences at any time by clicking on the settings button below.
Note that if you choose to disable some types of cookies, it may impact your experience of the site and the services we are able to offer.
Some required resources have been blocked, which can affect third-party services and may cause the site to not function properly.
This website uses cookies to enhance your browsing experience and ensure the site functions properly. By continuing to use this site, you acknowledge and accept our use of cookies.
