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Ankle arthroplasty with preoperative coronal plane deformity: short-term results.

The treatment of coronal plane deformity during total ankle arthroplasty is understood poorly. This study tests the hypotheses that preoperative coronal plane malalignment and incongruence of the ankle can be corrected and maintained for 2 years with total ankle replacement, and that factors can be identified that place ankles at risk of having progressive edge-loading develop. Of 86 consecutive patients who had total ankle replacement, 35 had preoperative coronal plane alignment > or =10 degrees. Lateral ligament reconstruction was done in seven patients and superficial deltoid release was done in four patients at the time of ankle replacement. Ankles with talar and tibial deformities improved talar and tibial alignment toward a neutral weightbearing axis postoperatively. Ankles with only a talar deformity improved the talar alignment toward a neutral weightbearing axis postoperatively. No changes in alignment were shown during the subsequent 2 years. Postoperative ankle articulations were congruent. Patients with preoperative incongruent joints are 10 times more likely to have progressive edge-loading develop than patients with congruent joints. Surgeons must be attentive to coronal plane alignment during and after ankle replacement. Longer followup is needed to assess the longevity of the correction and the impact of minor malalignment on implant wear.

Ankle Joint↗

Perception of movement at the human ankle: effects of leg position.

1. Recent studies show that subjects perceive smaller ankle movements when they are upright in the standing position than when they are seated. To examine this improvement, the ability to perceive ankle movements was tested in five positions of body, knee and ankle. Subjects reported the direction of slow ramp movements of the ankles. 2. The threshold for perceiving ankle movements was unchanged when only one ankle was moved rather than both together. When seated with the knees bent and ankles slightly plantarflexed, subjects perceived movements of 0.65 deg at 0.05 deg s-1. However, when upright or when seated with their knees and ankles in the standing position, subjects perceived movements that were one-third of this size. 3. These findings show that the knee and ankle positions, rather than being upright, explain the better performance in the standing position. During standing, knee extension and ankle dorsiflexion stretch the calf muscles. Thus, enhanced input from intramuscular stretch receptors appears responsible for the better performance.

Adult↗

Long term outcomes of inversion ankle injuries.

BACKGROUND: Ankle sprains are common sporting injuries generally believed to be benign and self limiting. However, some studies report a significant proportion of patients with ankle sprains having persistent symptoms for months or even years. AIMS: To determine the proportion of patients presenting to an Australian sports medicine clinic who had long term symptoms after a sports related inversion ankle sprain. METHODS: Consecutive patients referred to the NSW Institute of Sports Medicine from August 1999 to August 2002 with inversion ankle sprain were included. Exclusion criteria were fracture, ankle surgery, or concurrent lower limb problems. A control group, matched for age and sex, was recruited from patients attending the clinic for upper limb injuries in the same time period. Current ankle symptoms, ankle related disability, and current health status were ascertained through a structured telephone interview. RESULTS: Nineteen patients and matched controls were recruited and interviewed. The mean age in the ankle group was 20 (range 13-28). Twelve patients (63%) were male. Average follow up was 29 months. Only five (26%) ankle injured patients had recovered fully, with no pain, swelling, giving way, or weakness at follow up. None of the control group reported these symptoms (p<0.0001). Assessments of quality of life using short form-36 questionnaires (SF36) revealed a difference in the general health subscale between the two groups, favouring the control arm (p<0.05). There were no significant differences in the other SF36 subscales between the two groups. CONCLUSION: Most patients who sustained an inversion ankle injury at sport and who were subsequently referred to a sports medicine clinic had persistent symptoms for at least two years after their injury. This reinforces the importance of prevention and early effective treatment.

Adolescent↗

Ligaments of the lateral aspect of the ankle and sinus tarsi: an MR imaging study.

The normal anatomy of the lateral ankle and subtalar ligaments seen at magnetic resonance (MR) imaging was studied in four cadaver ankles. Sixteen ankles of 11 healthy volunteers were imaged with four different MR imaging protocols to optimize technique. The anterior talofibular ligament was identified in 100% of the ankles of the volunteers in the axial plane, the calcaneofibular ligament in 81% of the ankles in the coronal plane, the cervical ligament in 69% of the ankles in the coronal plane and in 88% of the ankles in the sagittal plane, and the talocalcaneal ligament in 56% of the ankles in the coronal plane and in 62% of the ankles in the sagittal plane. It is concluded that thin-section (1-3-mm) MR imaging techniques, especially the one in which data are acquired with three-dimensional Fourier transform, are best for visualization of the ligaments. These techniques may play a role in the evaluation of patients with chronic ankle pain and instability.

Adult↗

Neuromechanical adaptation to hopping with an elastic ankle-foot orthosis.

When humans hop or run on different surfaces, they adjust their effective leg stiffness to offset changes in surface stiffness. As a result, the overall stiffness of the leg-surface series combination remains independent of surface stiffness. The purpose of this study was to determine whether humans make a similar adjustment when springs are placed in parallel with the leg via a lower limb orthosis. We studied seven human subjects hopping in place on one leg while wearing an ankle-foot orthosis. We used an ankle-foot orthosis because the ankle joint is primarily responsible for leg stiffness during hopping. A spring was added to the ankle-foot orthosis so that it increased orthosis stiffness by providing plantar flexor torque during ankle dorsiflexion. We hypothesized that subjects would decrease their biological ankle stiffness when the spring was added to the orthosis, keeping total ankle stiffness constant. We collected kinematic, kinetic, and electromyographic data during hopping with and without the spring on the orthosis. We found that total ankle stiffness and leg stiffness did not change across the two orthosis conditions (ANOVA, P > 0.05). This was possible because subjects decreased their biological ankle stiffness to offset the orthosis spring stiffness (P < 0.0001). The reduction in biological ankle stiffness was accompanied by decreases in soleus, medial gastrocnemius, and lateral gastrocnemius muscle activation (P < 0.0002). These results suggest that an elastic exoskeleton might improve human running performance by reducing muscle recruitment.

Adaptation, Physiological↗

A prospective study of modified Ottawa ankle rules in a military population. Interobserver agreement between physical therapists and orthopaedic surgeons.

To determine the necessity of ankle and foot radiographs, we used modified Ottawa Ankle Rules to evaluate all cadets seen with an acute ankle or midfoot injury at the United States Military Academy. This scoring system determines the need for radiographs. Each patient was independently examined and the decision rules were applied by a physical therapist and an orthopaedic surgeon. Ankle and foot radiographs were obtained for all subjects. Sensitivity, specificity, and the positive predictive value were calculated in 153 patients. There were six clinically significant ankle fractures and three midfoot fractures, for a total incidence of 5.8%. For physical therapists, the sensitivity was 100%, the specificity for ankle injuries was 40%, and the specificity for foot injuries was 79%. For orthopaedic surgeons, the sensitivity was also 100%, the specificity for ankle injuries was 46%, and the specificity for foot injuries was 79%. Interobserver agreement between the orthopaedic surgeons and physical therapists regarding the overall decision to obtain radiographs was high, with a kappa coefficient value of 0.82 for ankle injuries and 0.88 for foot injuries. There were no false-negative results. Use of the modified Ottawa Ankle Rules would have reduced the necessity for ankle and foot radiographs by 46% and 79%, respectively.

Adult↗

Ankle sprain injuries and risk factors in amateur soccer players during a 2-year period.

BACKGROUND: Although ankle sprains are common in soccer, the role of various risk factors in amateur soccer players is unclear. PURPOSE: To identify the incidence of ankle sprain injuries, associated time loss of participation, and risk factors during two consecutive seasons in amateur players. STUDY DESIGN: Descriptive epidemiology study. METHODS: Of 336 athletes enrolled in the study, 312 male amateur soccer players were observed during a 2-year period. Ankle sprain injury incidents, participation time loss, injury mechanisms, ankle region injured, and other risk factors were recorded in games and practice sessions using questionnaires. RESULTS: During the study 208 ankle injuries were recorded, of which 139 were ankle sprains. These led to 975 sessions lost (on average, 7 lost sessions per injury). Most incidents (80.6%) were contact injuries, occurring mostly in defenders. Injury rates were equal between games and practice, while 61.1% of injuries were observed toward the end of each half of the game (P < .05). The injury incidence rate was higher during the first 2 months of the season as opposed to the last month (P < .05). Multinomial logistic regression showed that previous ankle sprain (P < .05) is a significant predictor of ankle sprain injury. CONCLUSION: Ankle sprain injuries in amateur soccer players are primarily contact injuries, occurring mainly in defenders and during both games and practice. It appears that more injuries occur in players with previous ankle injury. Injury rates are higher toward the end of a game and chiefly occur during the first 2 months of the season.

Adult↗

A determination of ankle kinematics using fluoroscopy.

In vivo weight-bearing studies utilizing dynamic video fluoroscopy have been shown to offer an accurate and reproducible method for determining the kinematics of a joint. The purpose of this study was to evaluate translational and rotational motions of the distal tibia relative to the talus in the sagittal and frontal planes. Ten subjects, each having a normal ankle and a total ankle arthroplasty on the opposite side (Buechel-Pappas Total Ankle, Endotec, South Orange, NJ), were studied under in vivo, weight-bearing conditions using video fluoroscopy. All ten subjects were judged to have a successful arthroplasty without demonstrable pain or ligament instability. Under weight-bearing conditions, each subject performed successive motions moving from maximum dorsiflexion to plantarflexion. At maximum dorsiflexion, both the normal and implanted ankles had similar sagittal midline talar contact positions but with plantar flexion, implanted ankles had increased posterior talar contact. Contact points on the distal tibia revealed that the lateral surface contacted at the midline or posterior throughout range-of-motion with minimal translation. The medial distal tibia contacted the talus posterior on plantarflexion and often moved anteriorly with dorsiflexion. This translation described relative external rotation of the distal tibia on plantar flexion and internal rotation on dorsiflexion. The measured distances were larger for the implanted ankles with higher variability. The average range-of-motion was 37.4 degrees for normal ankles and 32.3 degrees for implanted ankles. This study defines the normal kinematic rotational and translational motions of the ankle joint by accurately describing the three dimensional joint orientations. The implanted ankles experienced rotational and translational motions but had contacts more posterior, possibly related to surgical technique or alterations of ligamentous tension.

Ankle Joint↗

Revision lateral ankle reconstruction.

BACKGROUND: Symptomatic lateral ankle instability is a common source of disability in an active population. While most incidences are successfully treated by conservative measures, some individuals require lateral ankle reconstruction. A commonly performed procedure is the Gould modification of the Broström lateral ankle reconstruction. Despite its success, some individuals experience recurrent instability through reinjury. Revision surgery often involves nonanatomic reconstruction using tendon grafts that may restrict normal ankle and subtalar motion and can result in persistent postoperative pain and disability. The purpose of this study was to demonstrate an equivalent success rate using a more anatomic revision lateral ankle reconstruction based on the Gould modification of the Broström concept. METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed 15 consecutive patients who had a revision lateral ankle reconstruction between 1992 and 2000. All procedures were done by a single surgeon (FGL). Patients who exhibited hindfoot varus and dynamic heel rollout had a valgus calcaneal osteotomy. Patients were asked to complete a 100-point questionnaire postoperatively. RESULTS: All patients reported improvement in ankle function, decreased pain, and no episodes of instability compared to preoperative assessments. Excellent results were achieved in 12 of 15 patients which was consistent with published data from index Broström reconstructions. Four patients who had fixed hindfoot varus and dynamic ankle rollout had valgus calcaneal osteotomies. All patients returned to an active lifestyles including sports and military service. CONCLUSION: Our findings suggest that a revision anatomic lateral ankle reconstruction is an effective option. A thorough clinical evaluation was mandatory to assess hindfoot valgus with dynamic ankle rollout for which a valgus calcaneal osteotomy was included in the procedure. We believe that tendon sacrificing procedures can be avoided in most patients, but soft-tissue structures must be assessed intraoperatively and the surgical approach planned to allow for conversion if necessary.

Adolescent↗

Long-term results of Watson-Jones tenodesis of the ankle. Clinical and radiographic findings after ten to eighteen years of follow-up.

Thirty-seven chronically unstable ankles in thirty-six patients were operated on with use of a Watson-Jones tenodesis. Thirty-four ankles (thirty-three patients) were followed for a mean duration of thirteen years and eight months (range, ten to eighteen years) after the operation. There were nine male and twenty-four female patients. The mean age of the patients was thirty-one years (range, fourteen to fifty-seven years) at the time of the operation and forty-four years (range, twenty-eight to seventy years) at the time of the latest follow-up. At the time of the most recent follow-up evaluation, twenty-seven patients (twenty-eight ankles) were examined directly by one of us and twenty-five patients (twenty-six ankles) also were evaluated radiographically. The other six patients were interviewed, with use of a questionnaire, by telephone. Of the thirty-four ankles, nineteen had an excellent result (grade 1), eleven had a good result (grade 2), three had a fair result (grade 3), and one had a poor result (grade 4) according to the rating system of Good et al. The mean score (and standard deviation) on the ankle-hindfoot scale of the American Orthopaedic Foot and Ankle Society for the twenty-eight ankles that were examined directly by one of us was 90 +/- 9.3 points (range, 68 to 100 points). Progression of an exostosis at the edge of the joint was detected in eighteen (69 percent) of the twenty-six ankles that were examined radiographically, but narrowing of the joint space was not seen in any ankle. No relationship was detected between the clinical results and radiographic osteoarthrotic changes or the duration of follow-up. The results did not deteriorate over the long term.

Adolescent↗

The effect of taping on ankle stability. Practical implications.

Ankle ligamentous injuries are very common in sports. One of the most popular methods of supporting the weakened ankle is external support with ankle tape. The tape can be used to prevent ankle injuries, to stabilise the injured ankle to prevent further injury, and as a stabiliser during the rehabilitation phase. Of the various taping methods, basket weaves (combined with stirrup and a heel-lock) are the most effective for increasing the mechanical stability of the ankle, especially in the frontal plane (talar tilt). A combination of increased mechanical stability, decreased range of ankle motion and an improvement in the proprioceptive function of the ankle ligaments are factors associated with effectiveness of ankle taping. The major drawbacks of ankle taping are the high costs and decreased support after exercise.

Ankle Injuries↗

The role of fibular tape in the prevention of ankle injury in basketball: A pilot study.

STUDY DESIGN: Prospective nonrandomized controlled trial. OBJECTIVES: To determine the effect of fibular repositioning tape (FRT) on incidence and severity of ankle injury. BACKGROUND: Pain and functional disability is common following ankle sprain and a major problem in sport. A novel method of taping, FRT, which has been described to prevent ankle sprain, requires less tape than traditional methods and is easier to apply. The objective of this study was to determine the effect of FRT on the incidence and severity of ankle injury in basketball. METHODS AND MEASURES: One hundred twenty-five male basketball players were assigned at time of play to either the control (209 exposures) or FRT (224 exposures) condition in a manner of convenience. Control participants had the choice on the use and type of prophylaxis, excluding FRT. FRT participants were taped using the method described by Mulligan. Ankle injury data were collected after each exposure. Injury severity was determined by functional limitation, pain levels, and days to return to play. RESULTS: Four hundred forty-three measured basketball exposures resulted in 11 ankle injuries. All injuries occurred in subjects with a history of previous ankle sprain. Significantly less ankle injuries were sustained by members of the FRT condition (n = 2), compared to members of the control condition (n = 9) (Fisher exact test, P = .03). The odds ratio of sustaining an ankle injury was 0.20 (P = .04; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.04, 0.93) when taped with FRT and the number needed to treat was 22 (95% CI, 12-312). CONCLUSIONS: This study provides preliminary data regarding the prophylactic effects of FRT on ankle injury in male basketball players.

Adolescent↗

Total ankle arthroplasty: state of the art.

Total ankle arthroplasty results from the 1970s and 1980s were comparatively poor. The outcomes of these surgeries deteriorated rather dramatically with time. Causes of failure were multifactorial, but the 2 features that seemed central to implant failure were constrained designs and cement fixation. Total ankle operations are considered technically demanding procedures, with relatively high early postoperative complication rates. As yet, the ideal total ankle patient remains to be defined. With the current implant results as a guide, the optimal patient is an older person who is low demand and has multiple joint problems involving either the ipsilateral foot or knee or contralateral ankle. Good alignment and ligamentous stability are essential. Osteonecrosis and profound osteoporosis are associated with poor results due to problems with bony fixation. Patients should be advised that the implant may fail, and that this may require further surgery, including the potential need for an ankle fusion or below-knee amputation. The results of ankle fusions, although usually initially good, seem to deteriorate with time (Table 2). Not uncommonly, patients develop either transverse tarsal or subtalar degenerative joint disease several years after an ankle arthrodesis. Because of the associated pain and functional limitations that can follow ankle fusion, efforts to develop a workable total ankle replacement continue. At present, the long-term results of most new designs are unknown. Today, total ankle arthroplasty probably should be limited to centers where surgeons have the volume of patients to master the demanding techniques needed for these operations and conduct prospective clinical trials to determine what factors lead to successful and unsuccessful outcomes.

Adult↗

Septic arthritis of the ankle joint.

BACKGROUND: Septic arthritis of the ankle joint is a rare but serious disease. Very few reports in the literature have mentioned the method of care and treatment results of septic ankle. This study was designed to retrospectively review the treatment results and to analyze the prognostic factors of septic arthritis of the ankle inpatients at our hospital. We also formulated a protocol for the management of septic arthritis of the ankle joint. METHODS: All records of those patients with a diagnosis of septic ankle from 1985 to 1997 were retrospectively reviewed. There were 29 patients that met the diagnostic criteria of septic arthritis of the ankle joint (21 male and 8 female patients; 6 children and 23 adults). The average follow-up time was 5.5 years (ranging from 1.5 to 13.7 years). The patients' ages, associated diseases, single or multiple joint(s) involved, timing of treatment, and the final results of these cases were assessed. The infecting organism and drug sensitivity were discussed to determine the proper antibiotics regimen. RESULTS: Staphylococcus aureus was the most common infecting microorganism in the septic ankles. Combined therapy with oxacillin and gentamicine was effective against 88.1% of the infecting microorganisms. The poor prognostic factors for septic ankle included a positive bacterial culture, involvement of multiple joints simultaneously, a delay in treatment, and an increased number of associated diseases. In addition, a high proportion of patients with septic ankle had gouty arthritis (43.5%). CONCLUSION: Early treatment (symptom duration of less than 5 days) significantly affected the final results. The early recognition and prompt treatment of this condition may reduce morbidity and mortality. Based on our results, oxacillin and gentamicine are recommended as the first-line antibiotics for the management of septic ankle.

Adolescent↗

[Early results of total ankle arthroplasty].

UNLABELLED: Objective of the study was to evaluate total ankle arthroplasty as the treatment of choice for ankle arthritis; to analyze variables' influence upon early results after total ankle arthroplasty; and to determine early and late postoperative complications and the ways to avoid them. MATERIAL AND METHODS: We evaluated clinical results of 18 patients (out of 23 operated patients), for whom total ankle replacement was performed in 1998-2003. Uncemented Scandinavian Total Ankle Replacement (WLink, Germany) endoprosthesis was used in all cases. The patients were examined, questioned and evaluated according to modified rating system recommended by American Orthopedic Foot and Ankle Society. We observed early and late postoperative complications. RESULTS: Excellent and good results were observed in 9 cases (50%); fair results were in 6 cases (33%), poor in 2 cases (12%), and failure in 1 case (5%). Complications occurred in 11 cases (61%): 4 patients had neurological complaints in operated foot, delayed wound healing was observed in 2 cases, 3 patients had plantar flexion contracture, for 1 patient arthrodesis was done because of dislocation of meniscus component. CONCLUSIONS: Total ankle replacement is an alternative treatment to arthrodesis after posttraumatic ankle arthritis. Results after total ankle arthroplasty are worse than after total hip or knee replacement. Operative technique has great influence on total ankle replacement results. Accurately selected indications for surgery decrease complication rate.

Adult↗

Force and motion analysis of the normal, diseased, and prosthetic ankle joint.

A 2-dimensional motion and force study of the ankle joint during gait has been carried out on normal subjects and patients with ankle joint disease, before and 1 year following total ankle replacemetn. The methods employed involved the use of high-speed motion picture film, force plate and foot-switch data. The Achilles and anterior tibial tendon forces, the compressive and tangential (shear) forces across the ankle during stance phase of gait were determined, based on a quasi-static analysis. During stance phase of gait normal subjects used a mean of 24.4 degree of sagittal plane ankle motion. Patients with ankle joint disease showed reduced motion which returned to near normal values 1 year following total ankle replacement. Compressive force across the ankle joint rose to about 5 times body weight during the latter part of stance phase. Backward, or aft, shear forces or nearly full body weight were demonstrated during all but the last 20% of stance phase. Patients with ankle joint disease apparently altered their gait to markedly reduce these forces. Following total ankle replacement, shear forces returned toward more normal values, but compressive forces were not significantly changed.

Adult↗

[Effectiveness of outer stability aids on rotational stability of the ankle joints].

The main goal in nonoperative treatment of lateral ankle ligament injuries is the reduction of the possible supination at the ankle joint complex. Complete ligament healing can only be achieved when protected from overstress. There is general agreement that talar tilt should be avoided. Recent reports, however, have shown that instability of the ankle joint is at least in one form an axial rotational one. Therefore, the reduction of tibial rotation should also be taken into consideration. The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of three commonly used ankle braces and ankle taping on rotational stability of the ankle joint complex. The Künzli stabilizing shoe was the only orthosis that stabilized sufficiently the ankle joint complex when the foot was in slight plantarflexion. The reduction of external tibial rotation was in foot flexion of 20 degrees: Künzli stabilizing shoe, 58%; Aircast, 23%; Mikros, 12%; and taping, 10%. This becomes more relevant as this foot position is the most dangerous one where most of the ligament injuries does occur. It could be that the insufficient effect of various ankle braces on rotational stability may be the reason for residual problems after ankle sprain.

Adult↗

Development of a new activity score for the evaluation of ankle instability.

BACKGROUND: Tegner and Lysholm described their generally acknowledged activity score in 1985. It was originally tested for knee ligament injuries, but for the past 17 years it has been used for other joint evaluations as well. The development of already existing and new kinds of sports, differences between knee and ankle loading, and different injury rates provided reasons for developing an ankle-specific activity score. HYPOTHESIS: The new score should have a higher reliability, validity, and sensitivity than the Tegner score when evaluating ankle-related activity changes. STUDY DESIGN: Methodological study. METHODS: Fifty-three sports, 3 working activities, and 4 general activities were inserted into a 0-to-10 category system based on the rankings of a 7 x 2-point pre-evaluation system, followed by a direct comparison with the Tegner score and reliability, validity, and sensitivity testing on 2 different patient populations. RESULTS: In direct comparison, there is a strong overall correlation of the 2 activity-scoring systems (r = 0.7565), but the ankle activity score proved to be different from the Tegner score in the higher categories, especially in the top 4 ankle score categories (r = 0.1450). Further tests demonstrated the high reliability (1.00) of the new score. Analysis of variance proved that activity changes measured by the ankle score correspond well to the difference between the patients' subjective results and their Karlsson functional scores (P =.0119). This is not the case when we measure ankle activity changes using the knee-specific Tegner score (P =.0987). Furthermore, ankle score differences spread over a wider range (-1.18 +/- 2.12) than did Tegner score differences (-0.68 +/- 1.29), which demonstrates the higher sensitivity of the new score. CONCLUSIONS: Based on these results, the new ankle activity score could be a better complement in the complex evaluation of ankle instability.

Adult↗