WHAT IS AN ANKLE IMPINGEMENT?
Soft tissues such as ligaments and tendons can become trapped between bones in the ankle. This is known as ankle impingement and can cause pain when the ankle is bent fully up or down. Posterior ankle impingement (as it is known) is at the back of the ankle and is more common in ballet dancers.
HOW DO ANKLE IMPINGEMENTS OCCUR?
Anterior ankle impingements (at the front of the ankle) can be caused from a severe or repeated ankle sprain as the ligaments and joint capsule thicken and get pinched between the bones (tibia and talus bone). Posterior ankle impingements can be due to a bony protusion or growth at the back of the ankle.
SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS OF ANTERIOR ANKLE IMPINGEMENTS:
- Pain at the front or side of the ankle which does
not go after an ankle sprain heals - Weakness in the ankle
- Pain when the ankle is forced or passively moved
into dorsi flexion (toes and foot pointing upwards)
SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS OF POSTERIOR ANKLE IMPINGEMENTS:
- Pain at the back of the ankle
- Tenderness behind the bottom tip of the fibulabone
- Pain which is worse at the end of the movement when
the foot is pointed down into plantarflexion (foot
pointing downwards) - Pain when going up onto the toes
- An X-ray can show up any bony spurs on the talus
(heel bone) and end of the tibia (shin bone)
