KEY FACTS Calcaneus fractures account for ~ 2% of all fractures. The calcaneus is the most frequently fractured tarsal (hindfoot) bone. It represents 60% of all tarsal fractures. Minor avulsion fractures off anterior process are common and usually benign. Most…
KEY FACTS The tibial pilon fracture is a rare, yet devastating injury. Despite the best treatment, patients sustaining high-energy pilon fractures generally do not return to their previous state of general health or function. After recovery from pilon fractures, many…
KEY FACTS The treatment of ankle fractures is chiefly concerned with mitigating and minimizing the risk of posttraumatic arthritis. The relative stability of an ankle fracture will ultimately determine whether surgical intervention is warranted. Supination-external rotation ankle fractures are the…
KEY FACTS The natural history of osteochondral lesions of the talus appears to be fairly benign, especially as it relates to the risk of the development of arthritis. Treatment is thus most appropriately based on the patient's symptoms, a very…
KEY FACTS Ankle Instability Ankle sprains are among the most common injuries seen by orthopaedic surgeons. A variety of pathologies can result from an ankle sprain mechanism. These individual pathologies should be actively sought, as the treatment is not the…
KEY FACTS Tendon pathology is most commonly related to the degenerative process of tendinosis, as is seen in the Achilles and posterior tibial tendons. While tendonitis is a more common term colloquially, tendinosis is a much more common problem clinically.…
KEY FACTS Achilles Tendinosis Achilles tendinosis can be noninsertional or insertional, although it is the same pathology, i.e., degenerative tendinopathy. Insertional tendinopathy can be associated with a Haglund deformity, insertional ossification, or both. A heel lift and physical therapy are…
KEY FACTS Heel pain results in 1 million medical visits per year and comprises 1% of all visits to orthopaedic surgeons. The majority of patients with heel pain will be treated successfully nonoperatively. Heel pain can be plantar (subcalcaneal) or…
KEY FACTS The most common etiology of ankle arthritis is posttraumatic. The ankle bears the highest load per surface area of any joint in the body, yet has a small surface contact area of only 350 mm². The cartilage in…
KEY FACTS An interdependent system of dynamic, static, and bony restraints is responsible for the maintenance of normal toe alignment and stability. Given the relatively small size of the lesser toes in proportion to the relatively large repetitive stresses they…