Combined procedure for the treatment of complicated Chronic Ankle Instability with associated complete rupture of peroneal tendons

Background: Rotational ankle instability (RAI) is associated with the faster onset of severe ankle osteoarthritis via dysfunction of the anterior talofibular ligament, calcaneofibular ligament, and deltoid ligament. No specific clinical examination is available for RAI, and diagnostic imaging has limitations in evaluating ligament degradation. This study investigated the deltoid ligament degeneration using Hounsfield unit (HU) values on computed tomography (CT) images. Methods: Patients were enrolled in this retrospective analysis if they had undergone magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and CT scans of the ankle. The chronic ankle instability (CAI) group comprised 20 ankles with CAI (9 men, 11 women; mean age, 28.7 years) and the control group comprised 28 ankles (16 men, 12 women, mean age, 41.3 years). The average HU values of the deep posterior tibiotalar ligament (dPTL) that constitutes the deltoid ligament were measured on coronal CT images, and MRI results were used as a reference. All patients were subdivided based on the MRI findings of dPTL injury such as fascicular disruption, irregularity, and the loss of striation. Results: A strong negative correlation was identified between age and HU values for all patients (Spearman ρ = −0.63; P < .001). The mean HU values of the dPTL for participants aged <60 years were 81.0 HU for the control group (21 ankles) and 69.5 HU for the CAI group ( P = .0075). No significant differences in the HU values were observed for the dPTL among the MRI subgroups. Conclusion: In addition to the conventional imaging examination such as stress radiographs and MRI, HU measurements of CT images could be useful for quantitatively and noninvasively evaluating degenerative changes in the deltoid ligament for CAI patients to assist the diagnosis of RAI. Level of Evidence: Level III. case-control study.

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Talar and Subtalar T1ρ Relaxation Times in Limbs with and without Chronic Ankle Instability

Cartilage ◽

10.1177/1947603521994626 ◽

2021 ◽

pp. 194760352199462

Author(s):

Kyeongtak Song ◽

Brian Pietrosimone ◽

Joshua N. Tennant ◽

Daniel B. Nissman ◽

Katherine M. Dederer ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Ankle Instability ◽

Relaxation Times ◽

Chronic Ankle Instability ◽

Talar Dome ◽

Contralateral Limb ◽

Secondary Purpose ◽

Healthy Control ◽

Control Limb ◽

Proteoglycan Content ◽

Magnetic Resonance Imaging Mri

Objective The primary aim was to determine differences in talocrural and subtalar joint (STJ) articular cartilage composition, using T1ρ magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) relaxation times, between limbs in individuals with unilateral chronic ankle instability (CAI) and compare with an uninjured control. Our secondary purpose was to determine the association between talocrural and STJ composition in limbs with and without CAI. Design T1ρ MRI relaxation times were collected on 15 CAI (11 females, 21.13 ± 1.81 years, body mass index [BMI] = 23.96 ± 2.74 kg/m2) and 15 uninjured control individuals (11 females, 21.07 ± 2.55 years, BMI = 24.59 ± 3.44 kg/m2). Talocrural cartilage was segmented manually to identify the overall talar dome. The SJT cartilage was segmented manually to identify the anterior, medial, and posterior regions of interest consistent with STJ anatomical articulations. For each segmented area, a T1ρ relaxation time mean and variability value was calculated. Greater T1ρ relaxation times were interpreted as decreased proteoglycan content. Results Individuals with CAI demonstrated a higher involved limb talocrural T1ρ mean and variability relative to their contralateral limb ( P < 0.05) and the healthy control limb ( P < 0.05). The CAI-involved limb also had a higher posterior STJ T1ρ mean relative to the healthy control limb ( P < 0.05). In healthy controls ( P < 0.05), but not the CAI-involved or contralateral limbs (p>0.05), talocrural and posterior STJ composition measures were positively associated. Conclusions Individuals with CAI have lower proteoglycan content in both the talocrural and posterior STJ in their involved limbs relative to the contralateral and a healthy control limb. Cartilage composition findings may be consistent with the early development of posttraumatic osteoarthritis.

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People with chronic ankle instability benefit from brace application in highly dynamic change of direction movements

Journal of Foot and Ankle Research ◽

10.1186/s13047-021-00452-0 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 14 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Patrick Fuerst ◽

Albert Gollhofer ◽

Markus Wenning ◽

Dominic Gehring

Keyword(s):

Ankle Joint ◽

Repeated Measures ◽

Ankle Instability ◽

Dynamic Change ◽

Chronic Ankle Instability ◽

Mechanical Resistance ◽

Healthy Controls ◽

Neuromuscular Activation ◽

Ankle Inversion ◽

Ankle Brace

Abstract Background The application of ankle braces is an effective method for the prevention of recurrent ankle sprains. It has been proposed that the reduction of injury rates is based on the mechanical stiffness of the brace and on beneficial effects on proprioception and neuromuscular activation. Yet, how the neuromuscular system responds to the application of various types of ankle braces during highly dynamic injury-relevant movements is not well understood. Enhanced stability of the ankle joint seems especially important for people with chronic ankle instability. We therefore aimed to analyse the effects of a soft and a semi-rigid ankle brace on the execution of highly dynamic 180° turning movements in participants with and without chronic ankle instability. Methods Fifteen participants with functional ankle instability, 15 participants with functional and mechanical ankle instability and 15 healthy controls performed 180° turning movements in reaction to light signals in a cross-sectional descriptive laboratory study. Ankle joint kinematics and kinetics as well as neuromuscular activation of muscles surrounding the ankle joint were determined. Two-way repeated measures analyses of variance and post-hoc t-tests were calculated. Results Maximum ankle inversion angles and velocities were significantly reduced with the semi-rigid brace in comparison to the conditions without a brace and with the soft brace (p ≤ 0.006, d ≥ 0.303). Effect sizes of these reductions were larger in participants with chronic ankle instability than in healthy controls. Furthermore, peroneal activation levels decreased significantly with the semi-rigid brace in the 100 ms before and after ground contact. No statistically significant brace by group effects were found. Conclusions Based on these findings, we argue that people with ankle instability in particular seem to benefit from a semi-rigid ankle brace, which allows them to keep ankle inversion angles in a range that is comparable to values of healthy people. Lower ankle inversion angles and velocities with a semi-rigid brace may explain reduced injury incidences with brace application. The lack of effect of the soft brace indicates that the primary mechanism behind the reduction of inversion angles and velocities is the mechanical resistance of the brace in the frontal plane.

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