[Ligament pathology of the ankle joint]

Recent advances in ultrasound technology and the development of high-resolution ultrasound transducers have enabled detailed depiction of superficial musculoskeletal structures. The advantages of ultrasound include wide availability and dynamic evaluation. The main disadvantage is the uneasiness of performing ultrasonography, especially for foot and ankle. In addition, diagnostic accuracy requires time, knowledge, and meticulous attention to technical parameters. Ultrasound can be used to evaluate joints, ligaments, tendons, plantar fascias, fore-foot diseases and to look for foreign bodies. Power Doppler can be used to evaluate blood flow. The standardisation of the procedure and the production of normal reference images seem to guarantee a global increase in quality of the sonographic examinations. The diagnostic and therapeutic impact is very important regarding the low cost of this technique, especially in ankle sprain.