Anatomy of the Ankle Ligaments

A thorough knowledge of the anatomy of the ankle ligaments is indispensable for the diagnosis and treatment of patients with ankle instability. The evolution towards minimally invasive techniques and more anatomic procedures to restore normal joint mechanics increases the need for detailed information about the normal ligamentous anatomy, its possible variations, and the insertion sites in relation to local landmarks. In this chapter, the most important ligaments related to injury and instability are described. The ligaments around the ankle are divided into groups according to their anatomic position: the lateral ligament complex, the medial ligament complex, the ligaments of the tibiofibular syndesmosis, and the subtalar ligaments.