Epidemiology of injuries due to ankle sprain diagnosed in an orthopedic emergency room

Abstract

Objective To use magnetic resonance imaging to assess the prevalence of foot and ankle ligament injuries and fractures associated with ankle sprain and not diagnosed by x-ray.Methods We included 180 consecutive patients with a history of ankle sprain, assessed at a primary care service in a 12-month period. Magnetic resonance imaging findings were recorded and described.Results Approximately 92% of patients had some type of injury shown on the magnetic resonance imaging. We found 379 ligament injuries, 9 osteochondral injuries, 19 tendinous injuries and 51 fractures. Only 14 magnetic resonance imaging tests (7.8%) did not show any sort of injury. We observed a positive relation between injuries of the lateral complex, syndesmosis and medial ligaments. However, there was a negative correlation between ankle ligament injuries and midfoot injuries.Conclusion There was a high rate of injuries secondary to ankle sprains. We found correlation between lateral ligament injuries and syndesmosis and deltoid injuries. We did not observe a relation between deltoid and syndesmosis injuries or between lateral ligamentous and subtalar injuries. Similarly, no relation was found between ankle and midfoot injuries.

Association between anterior talofibular ligament injury and ankle tendon, ligament, and joint conditions revealed by magnetic resonance imaging

“…Other musculoskeletal structures, such as some tendons (flexor hallucis longus, flexor digitorum longus, extensor hallucis longus, extensor digitorum longus, tibialis posterior, tibialis anterior, peroneus longus and brevis tendons, and plantar fascia), ligaments (PTFL, anterior tibiofibular ligament, tibiotalar ligament, SL, and deltoid ligament), and the talocalcaneal joint, did not show any relationship with ATLF injuries. Our findings regarding these musculoskeletal structures are in line with prior research (2,38), except that a previous study observed correlations between lateral ligament complex injuries and syndesmosis and deltoid injuries (38) and we did not. A possible explanation of these controversial findings may be that our study was carried out in a podiatric outpatient clinic, whereas the other study was performed in an orthopedic emergency room (38).…”

“…Our findings regarding these musculoskeletal structures are in line with prior research (2,38), except that a previous study observed correlations between lateral ligament complex injuries and syndesmosis and deltoid injuries (38) and we did not. A possible explanation of these controversial findings may be that our study was carried out in a podiatric outpatient clinic, whereas the other study was performed in an orthopedic emergency room (38). Ziai et al analyzed the influence of the peroneus longus as passive ankle stabilizer in lateral sprains being closing that the peroneus longus tendon assume the role of stabilizer in ankle sprains (44).…”

“…To the authors' knowledge, this study showed that patients who suffered from ATFL injuries exhibited a greater frequency of CFL and tibiotalar joint injuries than subjects who did not suffer from ATFL injuries. A recent study about the epidemiology of injuries secondary to ankle sprains diagnosed in an orthopedic emergency service concluded that approximately 92% of their patients suffered from some kind of injury according to their MRI findings, as indicated by correlations between lateral ligament complex injuries and syndesmosis and deltoid injuries, but not between deltoid and syndesmosis conditions, lateral ligamentous and talocalcaneal injuries, or ankle and midfoot injuries (38). Even though higher incidences of CFL and tibiotalar injuries were previously reported in patients with ATFL injuries, our study may be the first case-control study to focus solely on ATFL injury and its relationship with several tendon, ligament, and joint structures.…”

Acute ankle sprain in athletes: Clinical aspects and algorithmic approach

“…Despite its excessive prevalence, the long-term prognosis of an acute ankle sprain is not favorable and a high proportion of patients experience persistent residual symptoms (up to 40%-50%)[ 13 , 14 ] and injury recurrence[ 6 ]. Furthermore, the prevalence of underdiagnosed injuries associated with ankle sprain, such as tendinous and osteochondral injuries and midfoot fractures are high[ 15 ]. Therefore, direct and indirect financial and societal costs for managing lateral ankle sprains and their sequelae lead to a high socioeconomic burden[ 10 , 16 , 17 ].…”

Estudo descritivo sobre o financiamento da assistência à saúde frente ao tratamento cirúrgico de fratura do tornozelo e retirada de placas/parafuso em Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brasil, 2014–2019

“…A fratura do tornozelo, considerada uma das mais comuns na traumatologia ortopédica, chega a atingir incidência de 174 fraturas por 100.000 adultos -ano 1,2 . Estima-se que o número de casos será ainda maior com o envelhecimento da população, o que torna o tratamento desta afecção muito importante tanto do ponto de vista ortopédico quanto econômico 1,3,4 .…”