title: Isolated popliteus rupture at the musculo-tendinous junction.
abstract: We report the case of a 23-year-old professional senior international rugby union player who sustained a lateral blow to his semiflexed knee during a competitive game. Initial clinical examination was unremarkable apart from some posterolateral tenderness. A magnetic resonance imaging scan showed an isolated popliteus tendon rupture at the musculo-tendinous junction. After 5 weeks of focused rehabilitation and graduated training, he was able to resume his playing career and resumed his international playing career later that season. At the time of reporting, he has completed a full domestic and international season without any sequelae from the injury. This report highlights the rarity of such an injury, especially at the musculo-tendinous junction, and sets out a detailed rehabilitation program that has enabled the patient in question to resume his playing career.
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand. johnfquinlan@yahoo.com
authors.forename: John F
authors.initials: JF
authors.lastname: Quinlan
authors.forename: Sandra
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Webb
authors.forename: Karl
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: McDonald
authors.forename: Grant
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Meikle
authors.forename: Simon F
authors.initials: SF
authors.lastname: McMahon
mesh_terms: D004487:Edema / Q000175:diagnosis; D005538:Football / Q000293:injuries*; D006801:Humans; D007718:Knee Injuries / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D012421:Rupture; D013708:Tendon Injuries / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D055815:Young Adult