Experimental ankle injuries. Analysis of the traumatology of the ankle ligaments.

On 32 osteoligamentous ankle preparations forced movements were performed in varying, accurately defined directions. The sequence in which this caused rupture of the individual ligamentous structures of the ankle is described. Dorsiflexion traumas predominantly injured the posterior part of the deltoid ligament, while in plantar flexion traumas the injuries primarily involved the anterior capsule and the anterior talofibular ligament. Internal rotation traumas injured the anterior talofibular ligament and the short, anterior fibres of the posterior talofibular ligament before the calcaneofibular ligament was damaged, whereas in adduction traumas the calcaneofibular ligament ruptured first. Forced external rotation primarily caused rupture of the deep structures of the deltoid ligament, while conversely abduction traumas first caused rupture of the superficial part of this ligament.