Musculoskeletal & Orthopaedics

The Achilles tendon attaches the gastrocnemius, the soleus and plantaris muscles to the calcaneus. It is one of the longest and thickest tendons in the body and is a powerful plantar flexor of the foot and ankle.

The two most common pathologies involving the Achilles tendon are tendinopathy and rupture. Patients with tendinopathy typically describe a gradual onset of pain, while ruptures are associated with an acute event.

Patellofemoral pain is a common presentation in primary care. It is most commonly seen in those below the age of forty years; however it can affect people of all ages and activity levels. In adolescents the onset of pain can coincide with periods of accelerated growth, while in older patients it often co-exists with degenerative joint changes.

The term ‘patellofemoral syndrome’ is usually reserved to describe the younger patient with an anatomically normal (or near normal) knee.

Acute knee injuries are common, especially in sports that involve twisting movements and sudden changes of direction such as netball, football, basketball and skiing.

The term “female athlete triad” has been used for several decades to describe an association between disordered eating, an irregular menstrual cycle and impaired bone health. While disordered eating and low energy availability clearly has an effect on a woman’s menstrual cycle and bone health, almost every system in the body can also be involved. It can affect metabolic rate, immunity and protein synthesis as well as cardiovascular and psychological health.