title: Nonsurgical treatment of lateral ligament injury of the ankle joint.
abstract: Between 1986 and 1989, 40 patients with acute lateral ligament injury of the ankle joint were treated by immobilizing their affected feet in a plaster cast with a heel for 4 weeks, followed by a brace for the next 2 months. The average follow-up time was 29 months. Ninety-eight percent of the patients were rated as having satisfactory functional results. Stress radiographs at the latest follow-up showed good stability even in ankles that were severely unstable at injury. Posttreatment stress radiographs taken periodically showed that stability was maintained 6 months after treatment.
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopaedics, Tokyo Medical and Dental University, Japan.
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Yamamoto
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Ishibashi
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Muneta
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Furuya
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D016512:Ankle Injuries / Q000628:therapy*; D001915:Braces; D002370:Casts, Surgical; D017885:Collateral Ligaments / Q000293:injuries*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged