Posterior Ankle Conflict

Impingement is the result of abnormal contact within the joint, this may be due to bone deformity that causes friction, bone damage, or tissue that may "get stuck" in the joint

Posterior ankle impingement results from compression of structures posterior to the tibiotalar and talocalcaneal articulations during terminal plantar flexion. Pain is caused by mechanical obstruction due to osteophytes (bone beaks) and/or entrapment of various soft tissue structures due to inflammation, scarring or hypermobility.

This injury is frequently found in the dancer because of the position of the tips, extreme plantar flexion which accentuates the crushing of the posterior parts. In other athletes, the astragalus can fracture during trauma in plantar hyperflexion and trap violently between the tibia and the calcaneus.

Your surgeon will need an X-ray with specific views, and additional examinations may be required : the CT-scan to validate the diagnosis of a bone conflict or the MRI for a tissue conflict.

Inquire in advance is mandatory in order to perform the most suitable examination

Treatment options

Medical Treatment

When the X-ray does not find any bone lesion or osteophytes, corticosteroid infiltration can be performed, preferably by a radiologist and under ultrasound control, to infiltrate precisely the area of the conflict.

In case of failure, surgery may be considered.

Surgical Treatment
The procedure consists in resecting the tissues, which "jam" in the joint and, if necessary, eliminate the osteophytes.

At the Bordeaux-Merignac Sport Clinic, this procedure is performed under arthroscopy and as an outpatient basis

Partenaires