Chronic Rectus Femoris Tendon Reconstruction with Combined Achilles and Peroneus Longus Tendon Allografts

Case: A 23-year-old man presented to the orthopaedic clinic with chronic thigh pain 5 years after a sprinting injury with weakness and deformity. He was found to have a distal rectus femoris tendon rupture with 20 cm of retraction. An onlay reconstruction was performed using peroneus longus and achilles allografts, and the patient regained full strength and range of motion 1 year postoperatively. Conclusion: Chronic ruptures of the rectus femoris tendon are poorly described in the literature. Retraction may require use of allograft tissue to improve extensor mechanism function. Although outcomes may be improved postoperatively, expectation management is paramount for high demand patients.