Snapping phenomenon around the ankle: An anatomy-based review

Area of Science:

• Orthopedics
• Sports Medicine
• Anatomy

Background:

• Ankle snapping involves tendons or retinacular structures slipping over adjacent anatomy.
• This can result from anatomical variations, pathology, or injury, causing pain and functional impairment.
• Snapping phenomena are categorized into lateral, medial, anterior, and posterior groups based on ankle anatomy.

Purpose of the Study:

• To comprehensively review ankle snapping phenomena and associated pathologies.
• To emphasize the importance of anatomical knowledge in clinical assessment and treatment.
• To explore diagnostic and therapeutic strategies for ankle snapping.

Main Methods:

• Literature review of ankle snapping mechanisms and pathologies.
• Categorization of snapping phenomena by anatomical region (lateral, medial, anterior, posterior).
• Discussion of clinical assessment, diagnostic tools, and treatment approaches.

Main Results:

• Lateral snapping often involves peroneal tendon subluxation or intrasheath subluxation.
• Medial snapping typically affects the posterior tibial tendon and flexor digitorum longus.
• Anterior snapping involves tendons like tibialis anterior and extensor digitorum longus; posterior snapping involves plantaris and flexor hallucis longus.

Conclusions:

• Accurate anatomical understanding is crucial for diagnosing and managing ankle snapping.
• Thorough clinical evaluation is essential for identifying the specific cause of snapping.
• Appropriate diagnostic and treatment strategies should be tailored to the regional classification of ankle snapping.