Acute ruptuur van de plantaire fascia bij een 52-jarige recreationele atleet: casusbespreking en literatuuroverzicht

Abstract

Acute plantar fascia rupture in a 52-year-old recreational athlete: case report and literature overview Plantar fascia ruptures are an uncommon cause of heel pain. To this date, little literature is available on this topic. There are no treatment guidelines available. Literature suggests that conservative treatment yields good functional results. To the authors’ knowledge, data on structural recovery by means of MRIs have not been previously reported, nor have authors shared data after a follow-up period of 1 year. This case report aims to do so. The authors report the case of a 52-year-old male patient with no relevant medical or family history, who suffered a complete plantar fascia rupture while playing a tennis match. He presented with a history of a sudden onset of severe pain, accompanied by a tearing sensation in the left foot sole while performing a push-off motion. Clinically, there was a visible ecchymosis and a palpable lump on the foot sole. A dynamic ultrasound confirmed the clinical suspicion of a rupture in the central portion of the plantar fascia. The patient was treated conservatively and follow-up visits were scheduled 8 weeks, 24 weeks and 1 year after the injury. He was able to return to maximum intensity sports after 2 months and was completely pain free after a period of 6 months, indicating a good functional recovery. The MRI at 1 year follow-up also showed a good structural recovery of the fascia. This case demonstrates that a conservative approach allows early rehabilitation and return to activities and sports. It can also lead to a good functional and structural recovery of the plantar fascia.