Foot & Ankle International

In a prospective consecutive registration of 711 ankle inversion sprains, the dorsal ligaments and capsule of the midtarsal joints were involved in 237 of the cases (33%), and in 172 cases (24%) only these joints seemed to be injured.

A total of 162 isolated midtarsal injuries and 161 cases of isolated lateral talocrural lesions selected at random were followed using questionnaires 1, 3, 6, 9, and 12 months after injury. The frequencies of pain after 1 month and swelling after 1 and 3 months were significantly lower in isolated dorsal midtarsal sprains compared with isolated lateral talocrural sprains. At the following controls, frequencies of both pain and swelling were the same for both groups. Functional instability appeared with the same frequency in both groups during the 12 months of follow-up. Regarding the social impact of the sprains, absence from work and sports did not differ between groups. When avulsions were present in midtarsal injuries recovery was slow, with two thirds of the patients experiencing pain after 6 months.

We conclude that the dorsal midtarsal sprain is a common entity with a course of recovery and a frequency of residual symptoms very like the lateral talocrural lesions.

We reviewed the evolution and final results of 57 patients with central metatarsal fractures treated in Hospital “La Fe” in Valencia between 1982 and 1993. The treatments were nonsurgical in 36 cases and surgical in 21 cases. The most frequent etiologies were traffic accidents, followed by work-related accidents.

The fractures were classified according to their anatomic localization and whether they were closed (44 cases) or open (13 cases). Poor functional results manifested by metatarsalgia were present most often when one or two of the following were present: comminution, sagittal plane displacement, open fracture, or severe soft tissue injury. The mean follow-up was 5 years.

We examined the reliability of in-shoe foot pressure measurement using the Pedar in-shoe pressure measurement system for 25 participants walking at treadmill speeds of 0.89, 1.12, and 1.34 meters/sec. The measurement system uses EMED insoles, which consist of 99 capacitive sensors, sampled at 50 Hz. Data were collected for 20 seconds at two separate times while participants walked at each gait speed. Differences in some of the loading variables across speed relative to the total foot and across the different anatomical regions were detected. Different anatomical regions of the foot were loaded differently with variations in walking speed. The results indicated the need to control speed when evaluating loading parameters using in-shoe pressure measurement techniques. Coefficients of reliability were calculated. Variables such as peak force for the total foot required two steps to achieve a coefficient of reliability of 0.98. To achieve excellent reliability (>0.90) in the peak force, force time integral, peak pressure, and pressure time integral across the total foot and the seven regions, a maximum of eight steps was needed. In general, timing variables, such as the instant of peak force and the instant of peak pressure, tended to be the least reliable measures.

In attempted open reduction and internal fixation of displaced calcaneal fractures, comminution of the sustentacular fragment can pose major problems. Two cases of a form of external fixation are presented. The method takes advantage of the strong superomedial and plantar calcaneonavicular ligaments, which link the sustentaculum to the navicular. Traction along these structures (by pins placed in the first metatarsal) indirectly controls the sustentacular fragment, while countertraction from medially placed pins in the tuberosity allows derotation of the fragment and correct repositioning in relation to the sustentaculum. The essential deformities of a calcaneal fracture are corrected by this technique. In addition, distortion of the middle facet appears to correct as well.

Surgical treatment of Achilles tendon ruptures provides excellent functional results in active individuals, although it carries an incidence of wound complications. After experiencing a 25% wound complication rate with the traditional techniques in Achilles tendon ruptures, we modified the Bosworth technique by passing the gastrocsoleus flap percutaneously through the distal stump. This modification eliminated one third of the distal incision, which appears to be the most vulnerable part. We performed the operation in three consecutive cases. At 2-year follow-up there were no wound complications and no reruptures.

The desmoid tumor is benign, uncommon, and frequently recurs after excision. It can be confusing in terms of diagnosis and treatment due to its ability to achieve large size, causing functional limitation and/or pain. Its overall clinical characteristics can mimic those of its malignant counterparts. Because of its high rate of recurrence, surgical treatment should include a wide excision around the margins.

This is a case report of a 52-year-old woman who sustained a medial subtalar dislocation with fracture of the posterior process of the talus in a traffic accident. After closed reduction of the subtalar dislocation, tomography demonstrated that the talus fracture involved the entire posterior process and the posterior portion of the talar body. The fracture of the talus was treated with an open reduction and miniscrew fixation. At follow-up examination 32 months later, the functional and radiographic results were graded as good. The proposed mechanism of this case was a forced plantarflexion and inversion acting simultaneously on the subtalar joint. This was different from an isolated medial subtalar dislocation, which was caused by an inversion.

Calcaneal fractures have been treated by closed methods since the time of Hippocrates. The understanding of the anatomy, injury mechanism, and classification of these fractures has advanced since surgical treatment was introduced in 1850. Despite 145 years of different treatment techniques, no consensus has been reached. Investigation into the injury patterns, anatomy, and outcomes has lead to the advances reviewed in this article.

Although foot deformation starts in the early stage of tibialis posterior (TP) tendon dysfunction, this condition is often overlooked or misdiagnosed. We observed consistently a clinical sign of TP tendon dysfunction that, to our knowledge, has not yet been described. Patients were tested while they were standing and fully weightbearing with both feet. When the shank of the affected foot was taken with one hand and externally rotated, or when the heel of the affected foot was taken with one hand and brought passively into a varus position, the head of the first metatarsal raised in the case of TP dysfunction and remained on the ground in normal TP function. The purpose of this prospective study was to validate this clinical finding by surgical exploration, and to compare its sensitivity with other common clinical signs. Our series included 21 consecutive feet with TP tendon dysfunction (19 patients). The deformity was supple in 12 feet and fixed in 9 feet. Radiographs and magnetic resonance imaging were found to be unreliable in diagnosing dysfunction of the TP tendon. While other clinical signs (too many toes, the single-heel rise, and the double-heel rise) were noted to be negative in 20% to 35%, we found our first metatarsal rise sign to be positive in all cases of TP tendon dysfunction. This simple clinical test enables us to recognize and treat a dysfunction of the TP tendon at an early stage, when the foot is still supple. As the foot deformation progresses, early treatment may be the most effective measure in preventing long-term functional impairment.