CLINICAL EXAMINATION AND MAGNETIC-RESONANCE-IMAGING IN THE ASSESSMENTOF ANKLE SPRAINS TREATED WITH AN ORTHOSIS

This is a prospective clinical study of treatment of ankle sprains wit h an ankle brace that permits ankle dorsiflexion and plantarflexion of 20 degrees, but limits inversion and eversion for 6 weeks. The ankle brace is followed by physiotherapy for another 6 weeks. Thirty patient s were evaluated with clinical examination and magnetic resonance (MR) imaging before treatment and after 12 weeks of treatment. MR imaging revealed acute tears in the anterior talofibular ligament in all 30 an kles (100%) and tears in the calcaneofibular ligament in 25 of 30 ankl es (83%). At 12 weeks after injury, MR evidence of healing was present for the anterior talofibular ligament in 22 of 30 ankles (73%) and fo r the calcaneofibular ligament in 23 of 25 ankles (92%). Postural sway analysis after therapy was used to quantify functional stability of t he ankle. There was no correlation with MR findings, but there was a c orrelation with the subjective impression of functional instability. T wenty-eight of 30 patients (93%) had a functionally stable ankle after 12 weeks of treatment. MR findings after ankle sprain could not predi ct clinical outcome.