Ankle stability is integral to normal motion and to minimizing the risk of ankle sprain during participation in sport activities. The ability of the dynamic and static stabilizers of the ankle joint to maintain their structural integrity is a major component of the normal gait cycle. In sports, this quality assumes even greater importance given the range of movement and stresses imposed on the ankle during various sporting disciplines. In the general population, the incidence of ankle sprain is very high. In several studies, injuries to the lateral ankle ligaments have been shown to be the most common sports-related injuries, accounting for approximately 25% of all sports-related injuries. Furthermore, up to 80% of all ankle sprains involve the lateral ligament complex. Other studies have estimated their incidence as approximately 5000 injuries per day in the United Kingdom and 23 000 in the United States. Aggressive treatment of the sprained ankle is essential to maintain foot and ankle mobility and prevent prolonged disability and subsequent overuse injuries among athletes, both professional and "weekend warriors" alike.

Background The traditional scarf osteotomy has been associated with complication rates between 1.1% and 45%. We have modified the traditional technique with a rotational osteotomy to reduce these complications. Questions/purposes We determined whether a modified rotational scarf osteotomy improves functional outcome scores, allows correction of a wide degree of an intermetatarsal (IM) angle deformity, has a low incidence of troughing, and maintains normal ROM postoperatively in the treatment of symptomatic hallux valgus (HV). Patients and Methods We retrospectively reviewed 140 patients: 38 men and 102 women with a mean age of 54 years (range, 35-66 years) who underwent surgery for HV and had a minimum followup of 24 months (mean, 41 months; range, 24-68 months). All patients had preoperative and postoperative American Orthopaedic Foot and Ankle Society (AOFAS) forefoot and Short Form (SF)-36 V2 outcome scores recorded. Results The mean AOFAS score improved from 52 points preoperatively to 92 points (range, 71-96 points) at followup. The mean SF-36 V2 score improved from 69 points preoperatively to 94 points (range, 67-98 points) at followup. The IM angle improved from a preoperative mean of 18°(range, 9°-23°) to a mean of 8°(range, 6°-12°). Eleven patients experienced a complication. Conclusions The modified rotational scarf osteotomy has a low complication rate (9%) and apparently reduces the risk of troughing. This procedure can reduce a high degree of IM angle deformity while restoring function to the forefoot.

Football is the most popular sport worldwide and is associated with a high injury rate, most of which are the result of trauma from player contact. Ankle injuries are among the most commonly diagnosed injuries in the game. The result is reduced physical activity and endurance levels, lost game time, and considerable medical cost. Sports medicine professionals must employ the correct diagnostic tools and effective treatments and rehabilitation protocols to minimize the impact of these injuries on the player. This review examines the diagnosis, treatment, and postoperative rehabilitation for common football injuries of the ankle based on the clinical evidence provided in the current literature.

Level IV, retrospective case series.

Level IV, retrospective case series.