Approach to Ankle and Foot Flashcards
What to palpate on the ankle?
Palpate anterior ankle joint Medial and lateral malleolus Achilles tendon Metatarsophalangeal joints and heads Heel (calcaneus, plantar fascia)
ROMs to check in the ankle?
Plantarflexion, dorsiflexion, ankle inversion, ankle eversion, metatarsophalangeal flexion, metatarsophalangeal extension
Pulses found in ankle?
Posterior tibialis and dorsalis pedis pulse
What are the 3 main ankle sprains
Lateral ankle sprain
Medial ankle sprain
Syndesmotic ankle sprain (aka high ankle sprain)
What is a lateral ankle sprain?
THE MOST COMMON Mechanism of injury Foot inversion and/or plantar flexion Most likely ligament(s) injured Anterior talofibular ligament*** Calcaneofibular ligament Associated positive special tests Talar tilt test (aka Inversion test) Anterior drawer
How and what is injured in a medial ankle sprain?
Mechanism of injury Forced eversion Most likely ligament involved Deltoid ligament Associated positive special tests Eversion test
How to grade a ankle sprain?
Grade 1:
No laxity in the joint = minimal ligament damage
Grade 2:
Mild to moderate laxity in the joint
Grade 3:
Complete disruption of the ligament
How and what is injured in a high ankle sprain?
Mechanism of injury Forced external rotation of a dorsiflexed ankle Most likely ligament(s) involved Tibiofibular syndesmosis Associated positive special test Squeeze test
What are Achilles Tendinopathys?
Common Achilles diagnoses:
Tendonitis
Achilles rupture
Sever’s Disease (calcaneal apophysitis)
What is Achilles Tendonitis
What is it?
Tendonitis: inflammation of a tendon
Specifically the Achilles tendon
Why does it happen?
Repetitive motions create microtears in the tendon resulting in inflammation
Most commonly associated with competitive/recreational athletes
Signs of Achilles tendonitis?
Pain/stiffness at tendon insertion (posterior calcaneus)
Recent increase in exercise/activity level
Pain is worse with activity and goes away with rest
NEGATIVE Thompson test
Signs of Achilles rupture?
Most commonly associated with competitive/recreational athletes
Signs and symptoms:
80% occur during high impact recreational sports
Patients report a popping sensation at their heel
+/- pain
Associated special tests
POSITIVE Thompson test
Signs of Severs Disease?
Chronic heel pain in growing children
Pain is related to increased activity
Pain is reproduced with direct palpation over the apophysis
What is Tibiotalar effusion?
Joint Effusion: An abnormal accumulation of fluid in or around a joint
What is Pes Planus?
A loss of the longitudinal arch of the foot
“flat feet”
What is Pes Cavus?
An exaggeration of the longitudinal arch of the foot
What is Hammer toe
PIP flexion and DIP extension
What is Claw toe
PIP and DIP flexion
What is a Hallux Valgus (Bunion)
Defined by the lateral deviation of the great toe
Progressively leads to the development of a prominence on the medial aspect of the metatarsophalangeal joint (commonly known as a bunion)
Presence of hallux valgus can lead to inflammation and irritation at the first metatarsophalangeal joint
What are signs of plantar Fasciitis?
Pain is worse with first few steps in the morning and improves
Sharp stabbing plantar/heel pain
Pain is made worse by prolonged standing
Pain reproduced with forced dorsiflexion
What is Morton’s Neuroma?
Inflammation and thickening of tissue that surrounds the nerve between toes
Signs of Morton’s Neuroma?
Patient reports feeling like they are walking on a marble
Palpable in web space, which will replicate burning pain
Mulder’s Sign
A palpable clicking sensation between the third web space as the transverse arch is compressed
Signs of Fibular Nerve Compression?
The nerve most commonly gets compressed at the point it wraps around the lateral aspect of the fibular head
Weakness of dorsiflexion and eversion
“Steppage” gate
Sensory loss over dorsal foot/lateral shin
What is Charcot foot?
A consequence of chronic foot inflammation that ultimately results in mid foot deformities and a collapse of the longitudinal arch
Signs of Charcot foot?
Always associated with neuropathy of the foot
Diabetic neuropathy
Signs and symptoms:
Visible collapse of the longitudinal arch
Warmth, redness and edema over the joint
History of minor trauma
Long term history of peripheral neuropathy
What is Diabetic Neuropathy?
Diabetic neuropathy is a common complication of uncontrolled diabetes
When the patient’s blood sugar remains elevated for a prolonged period of time peripheral nerves become damaged
The damaged nerves no longer function as well and patients will lose sensation (most commonly in the feet)
What causes Gout?
An inflammatory arthropathy caused by the deposition of MONOSODIUM URATE crystals in joints
Signs of Gout
Joint aspiration reveals NEGATIVELY BIREFRINGENT NEEDLE SHAPED CRYSTALS
Most commonly occurs in the first MTP joint