How Do You Diagnose Ankle Impingement Syndrome?
Impingement lesions on the ankle are often caused by capsular or synovial irritation because of a sports-related injury. They also may result from infection, degenerative disease or congenital defects. Chronic ankle pain is experienced by up to 40 percent of patients after spraining an ankle. One-third of these may have ankle impingement syndrome. Gather the patient history. Inquire specifically about sports injuries, such as landing on an opponent’s foot in basketball or stepping in a hole while running. Obtain the presenting symptoms of an ankle impingement. An anterolateral impingement usually causes a vague chronic pain while cutting or pivoting on that foot. A posterior impingement usually causes pain on the posterior or posterolateral ankle after an ankle sprain. A syndesmosis impingement constitutes 10 percent of ankle injuries, usually as the result of a high ankle sprain. Examine the affected ankle. Tenderness along the lateral gutter and anterior talofibular ligament indicate
