The effect of the syndesmotic screw on the extension capacity of the ankle joint

✍ Scribed by C. Olerud

• Publisher: Springer
• Year: 1985
• Tongue: English
• Weight: 361 KB
• Volume: 104
• Category: Article
• ISSN: 1434-3916
• DOI: 10.1007/bf00435946

✦ Synopsis

To investigate whether, when inserting a syndesmotic screw, the foot position effects the range of motion in dorsal extension, 16 osteoligamentous lower-leg preparations were studied The specimens were placed in a test frame where a constant dorsal extension force could be applied to the foot The dorsal extension capacity was recorded with a syndesmotic screw inserted by a standardized technique in various plantar flexion positions The dorsal extension capacity decreased by an average of 0 1 °for every degree of increase in plantar flexion when the screw was being inserted There was a correlation between a large decrease in range of motion and a limited dorsal extension capacity to start with No correlation could be found between a large decrease in range of motion and a large difference in width between the anterior and posterior edges of the talar trochlea The results suggest that the foot should be in maximal dorsal extension when a syndesmotic screw is inserted in order to decrease the risk of stiffness.