Semimembranosus tendinitis: An overlooked cause of medial knee pain

Abstract

A significant number of patients presenting with non- traumatic chronic medial knee pain have been found, after careful examination, to have chronic semimembra nosus tendinitis. Of 115 patients diagnosed and treated for semimembranosus tendinitis over a 5 year period, 10 patients were refractory to conservative treatment. The purpose of this paper is to discuss the symptom atology and diagnosis of semimembranosus tendinitis, and to relate the treatment that these 10 patients underwent, i.e., surgical exploration, drilling of the in sertion site, and semitendinosus tendon transfer. Most cases of semitendinosus tendinitis respond to conserv ative therapy; however, if surgical treatment is consid ered, arthroscopy should probably be performed at the time of surgery. In this way, it is possible to determine the presence of significant intraarticular abnormalities that may have a causal relationship with the onset of semimembranosus tendinitis.