BACKGROUND: Ankle inversion sprain is a common musculoskeletal injury due to an inward foot twist. It results in pain, swelling, limited movement, instability, and tenderness of the injured ankle. Standard physical therapy (PT) for acute ankle inversion sprain involves cryotherapy, range of motion, balance, and strengthening exercises. Biomechanical Taping (BMT) is an adjunct to PT. OBJECTIVES: To identify the short-term effects of BMT and PT on pain and function of individuals with acute ankle inversion sprains. METHODS: Two licensed physiotherapists screened the participants. Eligible participants were treated 3x/week with BMT and PT, with a day of home exercises in between treatments. Participants answered the Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) and Foot and Ankle Ability Measure (FAAM). Friedman Test was used to determine differences in prepost measurements of VAS and FAAM. RESULTS: 17 participants (10 males: 7 females) with unilateral acute ankle inversion sprains were included in the study with a mean (95% CI) age of 21 (20-22) years. BMT and PT (a) decreased VAS mean rank scores at Treatments 3 and 5 (p<0.05); (b) improved FAAM-ADL mean rank scores in Treatments 1 and 3 (p<0.05); (c) improved FAAM-Sports mean rank scores in all Treatments (p<0.05); and (d) improved in VAS, FAAM ADL and Sports scores between Treatment 1, Treatment 2 and Treatment 3 (p<0.00001). CONCLUSION BMT may be an effective adjunct to PT in improving pain and function of participants with acute ankle inversion sprains. The increased stability created by BMT may underpin the improved pain and function of participants.
Ankle Injuries ; Fascia ; Lateral Ligament, Ankle ; Pain

Lateral Ligament, Ankle/injuries* ; Ankle Joint

Ankle arthrography, by direct puncture of joint cavity, is considered to be a simple and accurate diagnosticmethod for a precise evaluation of ligamentous injury. Forty-seven cases of ankle arthrography were successivelyperformed in the patients of acute ankle sprains. The purpose of this study is to demonstrate how anklearthrography can delineate the pathologic anatomy in such cases. The results are as follows; 1. Thirty cases amongforty seven revealed the findings of ligament tears. 2. For better diagnostic accuracy, the arthrography sholud beperformed within 72 hrs. after injury. 3. The anterior talofibular ligament tears were the most common(twenty-nine cases) of all and seventeen of them revealed tears without association of any other ligament terars.4. There were ten cases of calcaneofibular ligament tears and nine of them were associated with anteriortalofibular ligament tears. 5. Three cases of anterior tibiofibular and one deltoid ligament tears were demonstrated.
Ankle Injuries ; Ankle ; Arthrography ; Humans ; Joints ; Lateral Ligament, Ankle ; Ligaments ; Punctures ; Tears

Ankle sprain is one of the most common musculoskeletal injuries. Although most ankle sprains respond well to conservative measures, chronic instability following an acute sprain has been reported to occur in 20% to 40% of patients. Some individuals are eventually indicated for a lateral ankle ligament reconstruction due to persistent ankle instability. More than 80 surgical procedures have been described to address lateral ankle stability. These range from direct repair of the anterior talofibular ligament (ATFL) and of the calcaneofibular ligament (CFL) to reconstructions based on the use of autograft or allograft tissues. However, the best surgical option remains debatable. The modified Broström procedure is most widely used for direct ligament repair, but not always possible because of the poor ATFL or CFL quality or deficiency of these ligaments, which prevents effective shortening imbrication. Furthermore, the importance of a CFL reconstruction has been emphasized recently. On the other hand, it is difficult to achieve an efficient CFL reconstruction during the Broström procedure. Others have reported that an anatomic reconstruction of injured ligaments restores the normal resistance to anterior translation and inversion without restricting subtalar or ankle motion, and as a result, anatomic reconstructions for lateral ankle instability utilizing an autograft or allograft tendon have gained popularity.
Allografts ; Ankle Injuries ; Ankle* ; Autografts ; Hand ; Humans ; Lateral Ligament, Ankle ; Ligaments* ; Sprains and Strains ; Tendons*

Ankle sprain is one of the most common musculoskeletal injuries, nearly half of all ankle sprains occur during athletic activity. With a high incidence, as many as 40% of patients may experience residual discomfort including pain and instability, underscoring the importance of proper treatment and effective strategies for prevention. The stability of the ankle joint is maintained by both bony structure and ligamentous complex. The anterior talofibular ligament is the primary restraint of internal rotation and adduction of the talus with the ankle joint unloaded, while both bony mortise structure and calcaneofibular ligament restrict adduction of the talus with the ankle joint loaded. Plantar flexion and inversion is the most common mechanism of ankle sprains, which lead to injury of the anterior talofibular ligament followed by calcaneofibular ligament. Ligament injuries are classified according to three grades based on the extent of rupture and the severity of clinical features. Associated injuries with lateral ankle sprain include peroneus tendon rupture, osteochondral fracture, deltoid ligament injury, syndesmosis injury, and nerve traction injuries.
Ankle Injuries* ; Ankle Joint ; Ankle* ; Epidemiology* ; Humans ; Incidence ; Lateral Ligament, Ankle ; Ligaments ; Rupture ; Sports ; Talus ; Tendons ; Traction

PURPOSE: To evaluate the patterns of injuries and frequency of associated findings on MR imaging in patients with both anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) and posterior cruciate ligament (PCL) tears; to compare the associated findings, as seen on MR imaging, in cases with both ACL and PCL tears with those with ACL or PCL tears. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Ten patients with combined ACL and PCL tears, 16 with ACL tears and 18 with PCL tears, all confirmed by arthroscopy or open surgery, were involved in this study. To identify the associated knee injuries, MR images were retrospectively evaluated. RESULTS: In ten patients with combined ACL and PCL tears, open surgery led to the identification of six complete ACL tears (60%), four partial ACL tears (40%), eight complete PCL tears (80%) and two partial PCL tears (20%). Injuries associated with these combined tears, and revealed by MR imaging, comprised six medial collateral ligament injuries (60%), six lateral collateral ligament injuries (60%), five medial meniscal injuries (50%), three lateral meniscal injuries (30%), nine bony injuries (90%), two posterior capsular injuries (20%), and three popliteus muscle injuries (30%). The frequency of popliteus muscle injury was significantly different (p<0.05, Fisher's exact test) between the group with both ACL and PCL tears and that with ACL or PCL tears. CONCLUSION: Associated findings in patients with combined ACL and PCL tears are more frequentthan in those with ACL or PCL tears. In cases involving combined ACL and PCL tears, associated findings-as seen on MR images-should thus be carefully examined.
Anterior Cruciate Ligament ; Arthroscopy ; Collateral Ligaments ; Humans ; Knee Injuries ; Lateral Ligament, Ankle ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging* ; Posterior Cruciate Ligament* ; Retrospective Studies

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study is to assess the clinical and radiological results of the early primary repair for acute ankle sprains. MATERIALS AND METHODS: From October 2002 to September 2005, nine patients with acute ankle sprain were analyzed. Among them, eight patients took the inversion stress X-ray at local clinics, and the mean talar tilting angle was 28 degrees. We observed avulsion fragment near lateral malleolus in the other. The average age at the time of operation was 24 years and average follow-up period was 29 months. We evaluated postoperative symptoms by Hasegawa's clinical rating system, postoperative complications, and compared the talar tilting angle and anterior draw distance between both ankles at the final follow-up X-rays. RESULTS: Anterior talofibular ligament was ruptured at fibula in 4, at midsubstance in 3, at talus in 1 and at fibula and midsubstance simultaneously in 1. Calcaneofibular ligament was ruptured at fibula in 3 including a case of avulsion fracture, at midsubstance in 2, and at calcaneus in 4. And posterior talofibular ligament was ruptured at midsubstance in 2. Clinical results were rated as excellent in all. We did not find major postoperative complications except for one sural nerve irritation. Both (injured ankle/uninjured ankle) talar tilting angle averaged 6.8/8.2 degrees and anterior draw distance averaged 2.9/3.7 mm at final follow-up X-rays. CONCLUSION: Early primary repair is recommended for treating acute severe ankle sprains and in case found avulsion fracture in X-ray taken after ankle sprain.
Ankle Injuries* ; Ankle* ; Calcaneus ; Fibula ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Lateral Ligament, Ankle ; Ligaments ; Postoperative Complications ; Sural Nerve ; Talus

PURPOSE: Anterior drawer and varus stress radiographs are commonly to diagnose chronic lateral ankle instability. We compared the preoperative stress radiographs with the intraoperative radiographs under anesthesia to determine the accuracy and efficacy of stress radiographs in an outpatient clinical environment. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Data was collected from patients who underwent a modified Broström operation for painful chronic unilateral lateral ankle instability between January 2014 and June 2016. Subjects were divided into three groups—complete tear, partial tear, and instability without rupture—according to the status of preoperative MRI findings of the anterior talofibular ligament. The anterior drawer and varus stress radiographs were taken preoperatively and intraoperatively under anesthesia. RESULTS: Ninety-six patients, with a mean age of 29.63 years, were enrolled. There were 39, 46, and 11 patients in the complete tear, partial tear, and instability without rupture groups, respectively. On the anterior drawer and varus stress radiographs of the affected limb, talar anterior translation and varus tilting were significantly increased by 2.56 mm and 2.0°. The gaps between the unaffected limbs were also increased by 2.47 mm and 1.32° after anesthesia. Although the stress radiographs were taken under anesthesia, the results were often smaller than the diagnostic value. CONCLUSION: Stress radiographs for painful chronic lateral ankle instability taken at the outpatient clinic might be inaccurate for diagnosis.
Ambulatory Care Facilities ; Anesthesia* ; Ankle Injuries ; Ankle* ; Diagnosis ; Extremities ; Humans ; Lateral Ligament, Ankle ; Ligaments ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Outpatients ; Rupture ; Tears

OBJECTIVETo evaluate the clinical effect of arthroscopic excision of the os subfibulare in anterior-lateral ankle pain.

METHODSFrom December 2005 to Augest 2014, 16 patients suffering from pain associated with an os subfibulare in the anterior-lateral side of their ankles were reviewed. Among the patients,11 patients were male and 5 were female, with a mean age of (33.5 ± 15.6) years old. The mean maximum diameter of os subfibulare was (0.70 ± 0.26) cm. All the patients underwent excision of the osseous fragments, and had anatomic reconstruction of the anterior talofibular ligament if the anterior-lateral ankle was instable. The average follow-up period was (18.0 ± 4.5) months. To analyze the surgical outcome, American Orthopaedic Foot and Ankle Society (AOFAS) ankle-hindfoot pain and function scales,visual analogue scale (VAS) and Tegner activity scale were assessed preoperatively and postoperatively.

RESULTSAOFAS scales were preoperative 60.15 ± 14.52 and postoperative 92.35 ± 5.73. There was a significant difference between them (t = -8.251, P = 0.000). The mean VAS score were preoperative 7.35 ± 0.46 and postoperative 2.45 ± 0.98. Statistical significance was also notable (t = 18.105, P = 0.000). Tegner score was significantly increased from preoperative 2.87 ± 1.12 to postoperative 5.78 ± 1.06 (t= -7.548, P = 0.000).

CONCLUSIONIrrespective of the size of os subfibulare, in patients with pain or instability associated with the os subfibulare, arthroscopic excision combined with reconstruction of ther anterior talofibular ligament or not was effective in restoring ankle function and eliminating pain.

Adult ; Ankle Injuries ; surgery ; Ankle Joint ; surgery ; Arthroscopy ; methods ; Female ; Fibula ; surgery ; Humans ; Lateral Ligament, Ankle ; surgery ; Male ; Middle Aged

Adolescent ; Adult ; Ankle Joint ; surgery ; Female ; Humans ; Lateral Ligament, Ankle ; injuries ; surgery ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Treatment Outcome ; Young Adult