# Anatomical Description of the Structures That Cause Tibialis Posterior Tendon Dysfunction

## TL;DR

This study identifies anatomical factors that may contribute to dysfunction of the tibialis posterior tendon in the foot.

## Contribution

The study reveals new anatomical risk factors for tibialis posterior tendon dysfunction through a retrospective analysis.

## Key findings

- Retro-malleolar groove angle (RGA) and total posterior malleolar length (TPML) were significantly different between control and patient groups.
- Anatomical variations like accessory navicular tubercle and malleolus type were evaluated as potential contributors to tendon dysfunction.
- Identifying these anatomical risk factors may improve therapeutic planning for TPT dysfunction.

## Abstract

Tibialis posterior tendon (TPT) dysfunction is defined as a clinical pathology of the foot. It occurs as a sudden and progressive loss of strength due to TPT tendinopathy as a result of causes such as vascular and acute trauma or overuse. This retrospective study aimed to identify the anatomical aspects that can cause TPT dysfunction. The association between the control group and the patient group with stage 1 TPT dysfunction was assessed. The variables evaluated for this purpose were medial malleolus type, presence and type of accessory navicular tubercle, TPT width (TPTW), TPT thickness (TPTT), retromalleolar groove width (RGW), retromalleolar groove depth (RGD), retromalleolar groove angle (RGA), anterior posterior malleolar length (APML), posterior malleolar length (PML), and total posterior malleolar length (TPML). The RGA and TPML differences between the control and patient groups were determined to be statistically significant. In our opinion, identifying the risk factors for TPT dysfunction will aid in planning the therapeutic procedure.