Injuries of the capsular ligament of the ankle joint, so-called "ankle joint distorsion"
Hackenbruch, W.; Karpf, P.M.
Fortschritte der Medizin 95(24): 1599-1605
1977
ISSN/ISBN: 0015-8178 PMID: 881160 Document Number: 122630
The capsular and ligamentous lesion of the ankle is the most frequent injury and very common in sports. Still these injuries are frequently minimized and not treated properly. Late results are instability, subluxation and finally posttraumatic osteoarthritis. Anterio-lateral instability indicates lateral capsular-ligamentous lesions. Antero-lateral instability can be proved chinically by the anterior drawer-test and radiologically by a standardized stress x-ray in lateral position. The fresh lesion has to be treated by primary ligamentous suture or by plaster cast for 6 weeks. The treatment of chronic instability is secondary reconstruction. Severe osteoarthritis can be treated by an ankle replacement (endoprosthesis) or by arthrodesis.