Ultrasound characteristics of foot and ankle structures in healthy, coper, and chronically unstable ankles

Abdeen, R; Comfort, P; Starbuck, C; Nester, CJ

Abstract

Objective: Ankle sprains constitute approximately 85% of all ankle injuries and up to 70% of people experience residual symptoms. Whilst the injury to ligaments is well understood the potential role of other foot and ankle structures has not been explored. The objective was to characterise and compare selected ankle structures in participants with and without a history of lateral ankle sprain.
Methods: 71 participants were divided into 31 healthy, 20 coper, and 20 chronic ankle instability groups. Ultrasound images of the anterior talofibular and calcaneofibular ligaments, fibularis tendons and muscles, tibialis posterior and Achilles tendon were obtained. Thickness, length, and cross sectional areas were measured and compared between groups.
Results: When under tension the anterior talofibular ligament was longer in copers and chronic ankle instability groups compared to healthy participants (p < 0.001 and p = 0.001 respectively). The chronic ankle instability group had the thickest ATFL and CFL among the three groups (p < 0.001). No significant differences (p > 0.05) in tendons and muscles were observed between the three groups.
Conclusions: The ultrasound protocol proved reliable and was used to evaluate the length, thickness, and CSA of selected ankle structures. The length of the ATFL and the thickness of the ATFL and CFL were longer and thicker in injured groups compared to healthy.

• Journal Article Type: Article
• Acceptance Date: Jul 25, 2018
• Online Publication Date: Sep 12, 2018
• Publication Date: Sep 12, 2018
• Deposit Date: Jul 31, 2018
• Publicly Available Date: Sep 12, 2019
• Journal: Journal of Ultrasound in Medicine
• Electronic ISSN: 1550-9613
• Publisher: Wiley
• Volume: 38
• Issue: 4
• Pages: 917-926
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1002/jum.14770
• Publisher URL: https://doi.org/10.1002/jum.14770
• Related Public URLs: https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/journal/15509613