Rotational ligamentous injuries to the ankle in football

It is the author's belief that supination injuries with tear of the talofibular ligament are the most frequent ankle ligamentous injuries encountered on the football field (Figure 4). However, the author believes that the more significant injury is the rupture of the tibiofibular ligament and interosseous ligament incurred in pronation and external rotation. (Figure 5). Twenty time-loss injuries of significance, encountered over a five year period in one football team, are presented. The mechanism of injury and the force encountered at the ankle during an interruption of the normal sequence of running and turning on the football field are presented. It is the author's opinion that rigid immobilization of the more significant injury is necessary in order to return the participant to active athletics within a reasonable length of time. It is hoped that this report will stimulate others to closely evaluate ankle injuries occurring on the football field.