Ankle impingement is typically an overuse sports injury in which a soft or bony tissue (a bone spur) develops at the front or back of the ankle, causing pain and restricting range of motion. It typically afflicts athletes and dancers whose routine activities (such as soccer, gymnastics and ballet) involve repetitive and forceful ankle joint motions.
There are two types of ankle impingement—anterior ankle impingement and posterior ankle impingement—characterised respectively by bone spurs growing at the front and back of the ankle. Both conditions display similar symptoms like soreness, swelling of the ankle and restricted range of motion.
Ankle impingement typically occurs as a result of ankle sprains and repeated ankle injuries.
Factors that increase the risk of ankle impingement are:
As a sports injury, an ankle impingement is typically diagnosed by checking the patient’s symptoms and carefully maneuvering and palpating the ankle to locate the area of maximum pain and soreness.
Imaging tests such as an X-ray, ultrasound or MRI can help confirm diagnosis and show the orthopaedic surgeon the actual location of the scar tissues and bone spurs, and the severity of the injury. An MRI is also beneficial to rule out other medical conditions with similar symptoms such as stress fractures, osteochondral lesions and tarsal coalitions.
As with most sports injuries, the first-line treatment for ankle impingement involves the PRICE method: Protect, Rest, Ice, Compression, and Elevation. Oral and injectable medicines can be prescribed to alleviate pain and inflammation. Patients may also undergo physical therapy sessions to restore stability and range of motion to the ankle.
In more complex and severe cases, the orthopaedic surgeon may recommend surgical treatments instead.
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