Valgus stress radiography in normal ankles.

Deltoid ligament injury is thought to be rare. Signs of complete rupture of the deltoid ligament may be subtle or interpreted as another injury condition and thus are often missed acutely. No standardized method has been created to evaluate medial ligament insufficiency in acute or chronic laxity. To establish a diagnostic test for suspected isolated ruptures of the deltoid ligament, 32 subjects with no previous ankle injury underwent valgus stress radiography and nonstressed radiography of both ankles. Stress radiography in this study showed that there is a measurable but minimal range of talar tilt on valgus stress in previously uninjured ankles. This study provides the basis for diagnosis of the rare isolated rupture of the deltoid ligament of the ankle.