| dc.description.abstract | BACKGROUND: The ankle joint is the most commonly reported injury site in sports injury. In most of the cases, injury involves tendon and ligaments, while bone and cartilage tissue may also be involved in severe injuries. In this study, we examined the association of ligament and tendon injuries with osteochondral lesion of talus (OLT) in ankle injuries in athletes. METHODS: Patients with sports-related acute or chronic ankle pain participate in this study. Injured anatomical structure on MRI, the grade of the injury, demographic data, the type of injury, and sport branch were retrieved from patient folders. In cases with OLT, data including location, depth, area, and grade of OLT were all noted after review of the MRI. Descriptive statistics and correlation analyses were performed. RESULTS: Overall, 122 athletes who underwent MRI due to ankle pain were included in the study. OLT was detected in 50 (40.9%) athletes. Ligament injury accompanying OLT was detected in 28 (22.9%) athletes, tendon injury in 33 (27.9%) athletes, and both tendon and ligament injury in 20 (16.9%) athletes. Only ligament injury was detected in 37 (30.3%) cases, only tendon injury in six (4.9%) cases, and both tendon and ligament injury in 27 (22.1%) cases. No injury was detected in 18 (14.7%) cases. The OLT was observed as an isolated lesion in only nine (18%) cases, whereas at least one ligament or tendon injury accompanied OLT in 41 (82%) cases. There was a positive correlation between osteochondral lesions and association of ligament and or ligament injuries and the grade of the injuries (P<0.001). A positive correlation was detected between depth, area, the grade of OLT, and the accompanying combined ligament and tendon injury (P<0.005). Also, combined ligament and tendon injuries were more common in males than in female athletes. High-grade lesions were also more frequently encountered in patients with chronic persistent pain than patients with an acute presentation. CONCLUSIONS: The ankle joint is the most commonly reported injury site in sports injury. Anyone involved in sport may be at risk for OLT. Concomitant injuries of the ligament, tendon, and cartilage tissue may overshadow the physical examination findings. Our study results indicate that OLTs are frequently associated with ligament and tendon injuries in athletes with ankle injuries. MRI is a superior and functional imaging method in diagnosis and determining the treatment procedure. COPYRIGHT© 2023 EDIZIONI MINERVA MEDICA. | en_US |
