Ankle

Introduction / General

The ankle is made up of various partial joints.
The two largest joints are:

  • the upper (OSG)
  • and lower ankle joint (USG).

Together they form a functional unit and are called Articulatio cylindrica designated. The ankle joint is one of the most stressed joints in the body, as it has to support the entire body mass with every step.
In addition to these, there are also smaller joints of the tarsal bones, which are, however, strongly fixed by ligaments and therefore hardly movable.

Figure ankle

Figure left foot: Skeleton from the right side (A) and from above (B)
  1. Toe phalanx -
    Phalanx distalis
  2. Middle toe -
    Phalanx media
  3. Phalanx -
    Phal. proximalis
    (1st - 3rd toe bones -
    Phalanges)
  4. Metatarsal bones -
    Os metatarsi
  5. Inner sphenoid bone -
    Medial cuneiform bone
  6. Middle sphenoid bone -
    Os cuneiform intermedium
  7. External sphenoid bone -
    Os cuneiform laterale
  8. Cuboid bone - Os cuboideum
  9. Scaphoid bone - Navicular bone
  10. Ankle bone - Talus
  11. Ankle roll - Trochlea tali
  12. Heel bone - Calcaneus
  13. Protrusion on the 5th metatarsal -
    Tuberositas ossis metatarsalis quinti (V)

You can find an overview of all Dr-Gumpert images at: medical illustrations

Upper ankle joint (ankle)

The upper ankle (Articulatio talocruralis) is made up of the articular surfaces of the Malleole fork and the Ankle bone (Talus) together.
The malleolar fork is inserted through the distal end of the Shin (Tibia) - and Fibula (Fibula) educated. The ankle bone is enclosed by the malleolar fork from above on both sides and is therefore of crucial importance for the stability of the joint.
The upper ankle is a pure hinge joint and can with it just one movement To run. This consists in lifting the tip of the foot (Dorsiflexion) by approx. 20 ° and lower the tip of the foot (Plantar flexion) by approx. 30 °.
The Joint capsule surrounds the two ends of the Tibia and fibula, as well as that Ankle bone. This is where the Malleole fork (Outer and inner ankle) outside the joint capsule and are therefore very vulnerable to injury.
The joint in itself is further enhanced by various others Tapes fixed:

  • It's on the inside of the ankle Deltoid ligament (Syn. Lig. Collateral mediale) which consists of four parts (Pars tibionavicularis, pars tibiotalaris anterior and posterior and pars tibiocalcanea). It runs between the inner ankle (Medial malleolus) fan-shaped to the talus (Talus), Heel bone (Calcaneus) and scaphoid (Navicular bone).
  • There is also a band on the outside of the ankle Fibula to the talus (Lig. Talofibular anterius and posterius),
  • as well as a ligament from the fibula (Fibula) to the Heel bone (Calcaneus). As a result, the upper ankle is secured primarily by the internal and external ligaments.

Illustration of the upper ankle joint of the right foot (from the side and from the rear)

I - Upper ankle
(Joint line green) -
Articulatio talocruralis

  1. Shin -
    Tibia
  2. Fibula -
    Fibula
  3. Ankle bone -
    Talus
  4. Heel bone -
    Calcaneus
  5. Achilles tendon -
    Tendo calcaneus
  6. Fibula-calcaneus tape -
    Calcaneofibular ligament
  7. Hint. Shin-fibula
    Ligament (rear syndesmosis ligament)
    Posterior tibiofibular ligament
  8. Front Fibula ankle ligament -
    Ligamentum fibulotalare anterius
  9. Delta band -
    Deltoid ligament

You can find an overview of all Dr-Gumpert images at: medical illustrations

Lower ankle

The lower ankle is part of the Foot and consists of:

  • a front (Articulatio talocalcaneonavicularis)
  • and a rear (Articulatio subtalaris) Proportion of.

The boundary between these parts is formed by the ankle-calcaneus ligament (Talocalcaneum interosseous ligament). Both parts each have their own joint cavity, but from a functional point of view, the parts cannot be separated.
Of the anterior joint part consists of the interaction between the talus (Talus) and parts of the calcaneus (Calcaneus), Scaphoid (Navicular bone) and the plantar calcaneonavicular ligament (joint socket).
Of the rear part (Articulatio subtalaris) is due to the outwardly shaped side (convex surface) of the calcaneus (Calcaneus) and the inwardly shaped side (concave face) of the talus (Talus) shaped.
The lower ankle can cause the inner (Supination) and outer (Pronation) Lift the edge of the foot. Other joints are automatically moved with this movement, so that the entire pronation and supination movement of the foot is greater than the pure movement in the lower ankle joint.
Of the Range of motion for the combined movement is around 50-60 ° for the supination and around 30 ° for the Pronation.
The lower ankle is also affected by different Tapes stabilized:

  • Plantar calcaneonavicular ligament
    stabilizes the anterior part and pulls as a very strong ligament from the heel bone (Calcaneus) to the navicular bone (Navicular bone). It is involved in the formation of the joint socket and is covered by cartilage tissue.
  • Talonavicular ligament
    strengthens the joint capsule from behind (dorsal) and extends between the talus (Talus) and scaphoid (Navicular bone).
  • Long plantar ligament
    spans the back of the foot between the heel bone (Calcaneus) to the cuboid (Os cuboideum) and the bones of the Metatarsus and thus stabilizes the anterior part of the lower ankle.
  • Lig. Talocalcaneum mediale and lateral
    Stabilizes the posterior part between ankle bone (talus) and heel bone (calcaneus) as a middle and lateral ligament.
  • Lig. Calcaneofibulare and Interosseous talocalcaneum ligament
    fix the back of the lower ankle joint between the calf and heel bones or the ankle and heel bones.

Illustration of the lower ankle joint of the right foot (from the side and from the rear)

I - Lower ankle
(Joint line green) -
Articulatio talocalcaneonavicularis

  1. Shin - Tibia
  2. Fibula - Fibula
  3. Ankle bone - Talus
  4. Heel bone - Calcaneus
  5. Achilles tendon -
    Tendo calcaneus
  6. Fibula-calcaneus tape -
    Calcaneofibular ligament
  7. Hint. Shin-fibula
    Tape-
    Posterior tibiofibular ligament
  8. Front Fibula ankle
    Tape-
    Lig fibulotalare anterius
  9. Delta band - Deltoid ligament
  10. Scaphoid bone - Navicular bone
  11. Cuboid bone -Os cuboideum
  12. Fibula short muscle -
    Musculus fibularis brevis

You can find an overview of all Dr-Gumpert images at: medical illustrations

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Athletes (joggers, soccer players, etc.) are particularly often affected by diseases of the foot. In some cases, the cause of the foot discomfort cannot be identified at first.
Therefore, the treatment of the foot (e.g. Achilles tendonitis, heel spurs, etc.) requires a lot of experience.
I focus on a wide variety of foot diseases.
The aim of every treatment is treatment without surgery with a complete recovery of performance.

Which therapy achieves the best results in the long term can only be determined after looking at all of the information (Examination, X-ray, ultrasound, MRI, etc.) be assessed.

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Injuries to the ankle

The ligament structures of the foot are particularly often affected by injuries. A typical twisting of the foot inwards or outwards can damage the capsular ligament apparatus with tearing, stretching or straining of the affected ligaments.
Bony injuries, such as fractures of the outer or inner ankle, are possible, but rarely.
With around 20% of all sports injuries, the ankle is very often affected by trauma of all kinds. Compared to other joints, however, there are hardly any signs of wear and tear in the ankle, provided that no trauma has preceded it.
Thus, the most common osteoarthritis occurs after ankle sprains or complex injuries to the capsule and ligaments.

Common ankle injuries:

  • Torn ligament in the ankle
  • Ligament stretch in the ankle
  • Cartilage damage in the ankle
  • Inflammation of the ankle
  • Ankle fracture
  • Ankle arthrosis

Other joints of the tarsus / metatarsus

The Joint between the calcaneus and cubic bone (Articulatio calcaneocuboidea) is a Amphiarthrosis, a very strongly fixed joint in which hardly any movements possible are. This joint is also fixed by additional tight ligaments.
Also the Tarsal-metatarsal joints (Articulationes tarsometatarsales) and the Metatarsal joints (Articulationes intermetatarsales) are Amphiarthroses and therefore hardly movable.

Toe joints

It will Metatarsophalangeal joint (Articulationes metatarsophalangae) and Toe middle or Toe joints (Articulationes interphalangae) differentiated.

The Basal joints are Ball joints, however, they are strongly fixed by different straps and are therefore hardly movable.
The Middle and end joints are Hinge joints and a little more agile.

Summary

The ankle is one functional unit consisting of:

  • an upper ankle,
  • a lower ankle and
  • other smaller joints between the individual metatarsals.

The ankle is strongly fixed by straps and therefore does not allow many different movements.
Due to the high stress of the ankle, it must be very stable, this is guaranteed by the ligament and capsular apparatus.
However, since the outer and inner ankles are not inside the joint capsule, they are very prone to injury. This is how most sports injuries occur in the area of ​​the outer or inner ligaments Ankle trauma. This can lead to tearing, straining, or stretching of the ligaments. Despite the high stress on the ankle, signs of wear and tear (osteoarthritis) are very rare without a previous serious injury.