Correlation of Stress Radiographs to Injuries Associated with Lateral Ankle Instability

Abstract

BACKGROUNDStress radiographs have demonstrated superior efficacy in the evaluation of ankle instability. AIMTo determine if there is a degree of instability evidenced by stress radiographs that is associated with pathology concomitant with ankle ligamentous instability. METHODSA retrospective review of 87 consecutive patients aged 18-74 who had stress radiographs performed at a single institution between 2014 and 2020 was performed. These manual radiographic stress views were then correlated with magnetic resonance imaging and operative findings. RESULTSA statistically significant association was determined for the mean and median stress radiographic values and the presence of peroneal pathology (P = 0.008 for tendonitis and P = 0.020 for peroneal tendon tears). A significant inverse relationship was found between the presence of an osteochondral defect and increasing degrees of instability (P = 0.043). CONCLUSIONAlthough valuable in the clinical evaluation of ankle instability, stress radiographs are not an independent predictor of conditions associated with ankle in-stability.