Rupture of the posterior tibial tendon. Evaluation of injury of the spring ligament and clinical assessment of tendon transfer and ligament repair.

Eighteen of twenty-two patients who were having a tendon transfer to treat rupture of the posterior tibial tendon had evidence of injury to the spring ligament. The injury consisted of a longitudinal tear in the ligament in seven patients, a lax ligament without a gross tear in seven, and a complete rupture of the ligament in four. The ruptured posterior tibial tendon was treated with transfer of the flexor digitorum longus in twenty of the twenty-two patients. A variety of methods were used to repair the ligament. It is essential to determine the status of the spring ligament when patients are managed for rupture of the posterior tibial tendon. Patients who have a torn or lax spring ligament in addition to the ruptured posterior tibial tendon may have more severe abnormalities of the hindfoot than those who have only a ruptured tendon.