Skip to main content

Advertisement

SpringerLink
Log in

Impingement syndromes of the ankle and hindfoot

  • Musculoskeletal imaging
  • Published:
Pediatric Radiology Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Ankle impingement refers to a chronic painful mechanical limitation of ankle motion caused by soft-tissue or osseous abnormality affecting the tibiotalar joint or extraarticular soft tissues. Impingement can be associated with a prior single traumatic event or repetitive microtrauma, often in an adolescent with anatomical predisposition. Impingement syndromes at the tibiotalar joint can be subdivided into anterior, anterolateral, anteromedial, posterior or posteromedial. Extraarticular impingement can consist of talocalcaneal or subfibular impingement. Impingement syndromes are just one possible etiology of persistent ankle pain, and although the diagnosis is often made or suspected clinically, the radiologist might be the first person to raise the possibility of the diagnosis or be called upon to provide support for the clinically suspected diagnosis. In this article I review the etiology, imaging findings and current treatment associated with these conditions.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3
Fig. 4
Fig. 5
Fig. 6
Fig. 7
Fig. 8
Fig. 9
Fig. 10
Fig. 11

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Rubin DA, Tishkoff NW, Britton CA et al (1997) Anterolateral soft-tissue impingement in the ankle: diagnosis using MR imaging. AJR Am J Roentgenol 169:829–835

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  2. Bassett FH 3rd, Gates HS 3rd, Billys JB et al (1990) Talar impingement by the anteroinferior tibiofibular ligament. A cause of chronic pain in the ankle after inversion sprain. J Bone Joint Surg Am 72:55–59

    Article  Google Scholar 

  3. Berman Z, Tafur M, Ahmed SS et al (2017) Ankle impingement syndromes: an imaging review. Br J Radiol 90:20160735

    Article  Google Scholar 

  4. Donovan A, Rosenberg ZS (2010) MRI of ankle and lateral hindfoot impingement syndromes. AJR Am J Roentgenol 195:595–604

    Article  Google Scholar 

  5. Cochet H, Pele E, Amoretti N et al (2010) Anterolateral ankle impingement: diagnostic performance of MDCT arthrography and sonography. AJR Am J Roentgenol 194:1575–1580

    Article  Google Scholar 

  6. Farooki S, Yao L, Seeger LL (1998) Anterolateral impingement of the ankle: effectiveness of MR imaging. Radiology 207:357–360

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  7. Jordan LK 3rd, Helms CA, Cooperman AE, Speer KP (2000) Magnetic resonance imaging findings in anterolateral impingement of the ankle. Skelet Radiol 29:34–39

    Article  Google Scholar 

  8. Ferkel RD, Tyorkin M, Applegate GR, Heinen GT (2010) MRI evaluation of anterolateral soft tissue impingement of the ankle. Foot Ankle Int 31:655–661

    Article  Google Scholar 

  9. Robinson P, White LM, Salonen DC et al (2001) Anterolateral ankle impingement: MR arthrographic assessment of the anterolateral recess. Radiology 221:186–190

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  10. Nazarian LN, Gulvartian NV, Freeland EC, Chao W (2018) Ultrasound-guided percutaneous needle fenestration and corticosteroid injection for anterior and anterolateral ankle impingement. Foot Ankle Spec 11:61–66

    Article  Google Scholar 

  11. Robinson P, White LM (2002) Soft-tissue and osseous impingement syndromes of the ankle: role of imaging in diagnosis and management. Radiographics 22:1457–1469

    Article  Google Scholar 

  12. De Maeseneer M, Wuertzer S, de Mey J, Shahabpour M (2017) The imaging findings of impingement syndromes of the lower limb. Clin Radiol 72:1014–1024

    Article  Google Scholar 

  13. Haller J, Bernt R, Seeger T et al (2006) MR-imaging of anterior tibiotalar impingement syndrome: agreement, sensitivity and specificity of MR-imaging and indirect MR-arthrography. Eur J Radiol 58:450–460

    Article  Google Scholar 

  14. Shim DW, Kim S, Hwang Y et al (2018) Detection of the tram track lesion in the ankle joint: comparing 3.0-tesla magnetic resonance imaging and arthroscopy. Arthroscopy 34:866–871

    Article  Google Scholar 

  15. Robinson P, White LM, Salonen D, Ogilvie-Harris D (2002) Anteromedial impingement of the ankle: using MR arthrography to assess the anteromedial recess. AJR Am J Roentgenol 178:601–604

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  16. Cerezal L, Abascal F, Canga A et al (2003) MR imaging of ankle impingement syndromes. AJR Am J Roentgenol 181:551–559

    Article  Google Scholar 

  17. Oh CS, Won HS, Hur MS et al (2006) Anatomic variations and MRI of the intermalleolar ligament. AJR Am J Roentgenol 186:943–947

    Article  Google Scholar 

  18. Kudas S, Donmez G, Isik C et al (2016) Posterior ankle impingement syndrome in football players: case series of 26 elite athletes. Acta Orthop Traumatol Turc 50:649–654

    Article  Google Scholar 

  19. Aydingoz U, Melih Topcuoglu O, Gormez A et al (2016) Accessory anterolateral talar facet in populations with and without symptoms: prevalence and relevant associated ankle MRI findings. AJR Am J Roentgenol 207:846–851

    Article  Google Scholar 

  20. Exner GU, Jacob HAC, Maquieira GJ (2017) Fibulocalcaneal impingement in a growing child with otherwise asymptomatic talocalcaneal coalition. J Foot Ankle Surg 56:1323–1327

    Article  Google Scholar 

  21. Donovan A, Rosenberg ZS (2009) Extraarticular lateral hindfoot impingement with posterior tibial tendon tear: MRI correlation. AJR Am J Roentgenol 193:672–678

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Advanced Radiology Services, Helen DeVos Children’s Hospital, Michigan State University, 3264 North Evergreen Drive, Grand Rapids, MI, 49525, USA

    Andrew M. Zbojniewicz

Authors
  1. Andrew M. Zbojniewicz
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Andrew M. Zbojniewicz.

Ethics declarations

Conflicts of interest

None

Additional information

Publisher’s note

Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Zbojniewicz, A.M. Impingement syndromes of the ankle and hindfoot. Pediatr Radiol 49, 1691–1701 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00247-019-04459-5

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Revised:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00247-019-04459-5

Keywords

Search

Navigation