Author: Jaime Pedraza, MD
Patient Presentation:
21 year old male football player who injured himself during a football game.
History:
He was tackled during a play and “twisted” his left ankle. He believed he had an inversion-type injury of his ankle; however, he was unsure of how it exactly happened. He was unable to get up by himself and was helped off the field. He complained of point tenderness over the lateral malleolus and just posterior to it. He was able to bear weight on it on the sideline, however it was painful and he was unable to return to the game.
Physical Exam:
Left ankle: no effusion, mild localized swelling about 1-2 inches above the lateral malleolus. Good dorsiflexion, plantarflexion, inversion but decreased eversion. There is point tenderness just posterior to the lateral malleolus, no bony tenderness. Anterior drawer test is negative. Strength on resisted plantarflexion, dorsiflexion and inversion is 5/5; on resisted eversion is 2-3/5. Sensation is grossly intact. Good distal pulses.
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