The Effect of Osseous Ankle Configuration on Chronic Ankle Instability

Arno Frigg ^1*, Olaf Magerkurth ¹, Victor Valderrabano ¹, Hans-Peter Ledermann ¹ and Beat Hintermann ²

¹ University of Basel, Switzerland
² Kantonsspital Liestal, Switzerland

^* To whom correspondence should be addressed. E-mail: mail{at}arnofrigg.com.

Accepted 6 January 2007

Abstract

Objective: Chronic ankle instability (CAI) is a frequent sport orthopaedic entity. Although other risk factors have been studied extensively, little is known how it is influenced by the osseous joint configuration.

Design: Case control study, Level III.

Setting: Radiological examination with measurement of lateral X-rays by one independent radiologist using a digital DICOM/PACS system.

Patients: A group of 52 patients who suffered from at least three recurrent sprains was compared with a gender- and sex-matched control group of 52 healthy subjects.

Main outcome measurements: The radius of the talar surface, the tibial coverage of the talus (tibio- talar sector) and the height of talar body were measured.

Results: The talar radius was found to be larger in patients with CAI (21.2 ±2.4mm) than in patients of the control group (17.7 ±1.9mm; P<0.0001, Power >95%). The tibio-talar sector, representing the tibial coverage of the talus, was smaller in patients with CAI (80° ±5.1°) than in patients of the control group (88.4° ±7.2°; P<0.0001, Power >95%). There was no significant difference in the height of the talar body between patients with CAI (28.8 ±2.6mm) and healthy subjects (27.5 ±4.0mm; P=0.055).

Conclusion: CAI is associated with an unstable osseous joint configuration characterized by a larger radius of the talus and a smaller tibio-talar sector. There is evidence that a higher talus might also play a certain role, particularly in females.

Key Words: ankle, configuration, instability, osseous, sprain

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