Clinical study of chronic lateral ankle instability: injured ligaments compared with stress X-ray examination.

Background: A comparative analysis of ankle stress X-ray findings and the condition of injured ligaments in patients with chronic lateral ankle instability was performed to determine a method of identifying the condition of injured ligaments prior to operation.

Methods: Altogether, 36 males and 80 females were included in the study. The average age at the time of operation was 29.4 years. Anterior drawer distances and talar tilt angles were measured manually. During the operations, the injured ligaments were classified into 25 categories.

Results And Conclusion: The condition of the injured ligaments in patients with a talar tilt angle of more than 15 degrees had injured ligaments that were almost avulsed and degenerated or completely absent.