Traumatic avulsion of tibialis anterior following an industrial accident: A case report

INTRODUCTION: Rupture of the tibialis anterior tendon is uncommon and can occur spontaneously or following trauma. If suspected, it should be diagnosed promptly, enabling early surgical management and good restoration of function. PRESENTATION OF CASE: A 48 year old male sustained a crush injury to his right foot when it became stuck in a vertical industrial fan at work. He attended A & E complaining of swelling of the dorsum of foot. On examination, there was tenderness at the base of the first metatarsal. X-ray revealed an avulsion fracture of the first metatarsal, and MRI showed rupture of tibialis anterior. The patient underwent surgical repair 10 days later, with post-operative management in a non-weight bearing, then weight bearing cast. X-ray at 8 weeks showed that the fracture had healed. The patient had a course of physiotherapy and was followed up at 6 months to assess pain and function. DISCUSSION: Tibialis anterior rupture should be considered if the history is suggestive, and can be diagnosed clinically based on the triad of a ‘pseudotumour’ of the ruptured tendon, loss of tendon contour, and reduced dorsiflexion of the ankle. In our case, the avulsion fracture prompted further imaging to confirm the diagnosis and plan surgery. There are various operative technique described in the literature. We used a whip stitch with anchors to reattach the tendon to the base of first metatarsal. CONCLUSION: A prompt and early diagnosis of surgical repair of tibialis anterior tendon avulsion is important to ensure that the patients return to work as an industrial worker.