WHAT IS IT? Tennis leg

Tennis leg is a tear or rupture of the thin muscle in the back of the lower leg (plantaris muscle). Its function is to assist the larger calf muscles in flexing the ankle or pointing the foot down.

This muscle is actually absent in up to 15% of the population.

The injury most frequently occurs due to an injury to the leg while the knee is straight.

Movements such as jumping or pushing off may also cause tennis leg. Both movements are frequent in tennis, hence the development of the term “tennis leg” to describe this injury.