The external ligamentous apparatus consists of three different parts of ligament that connect the tip of the external ankle with the calcaneus and talus. For the detailed structure of the foot, please also see our page on the foot. The outer ligaments (torn ligaments of the ankle) are most frequently torn in young adults.
Elderly people are more likely to suffer a fracture of the outer ankle (outer ankle fracture), while children suffer injuries to the growth plate. A torn ligament of the ankle is usually caused by bending the foot outwards. Doctors describe the course of the accident as “ankle distortion” or “supination trauma”.
The ligaments can only be “torn” (ligament stretching) or some or all three outer ligaments of the ankle can be torn (partial tear) or completely torn (torn ligament / rupture). The onset of ankle pain after twisting does not allow clear conclusions to be drawn about the severity of the injury. In some cases, ligament stretching at the ankle can be more painful than torn ligaments, since all pain receptors are destroyed when the ligament is torn and can therefore no longer hurt.
Particularly during sports such as football, tennis or volleyball, injuries to the outer ligament apparatus often occur, resulting in a torn ligament of the ankle. But wearing shoes with high heels also carries the risk of twisting the foot. – Ligamentum fibulotalare posterius
- Fibulocalcanean ligament
- Ligamentum fibulotalare anterius
- Fibula (fibula)
- Shin bone (tibia)
- Hock leg (talus)
- Scaphoid (Os naviculare)
- Sphenoid bone (Os cuniforme)
- Metatarsal bone (Os metatarsale)
- Cuboid bone (Os cuboideum)
