Subtalar Joint Athletic Injuries

let, MD, FRCS(C) ind Ankle Center 'leveland Avenue Suite 100 imbus, OH 43231 Considerable attention has been given to the subtalar joint as an area of injury and pathology.--^ 27 Subtalar injuries frequently occur in combination with other injuries, especially sprains of the lateral ankle ligaments. Because lateral ankle sprains rank as the most common source of time-loss injury in sports, it follows that subtalar injuries affect a significant portion of the athletic population, hi the past the most commonly reported conditions affecting the subtalar joint were dislocation, instability, tarsal coalition, or sinus tarsi syndrome. With the advent of magnetic resonance (MR) imaging and subtalar arthroscopy, more specific diagnoses can be made.-Interosseous ligament tears, loose bodies, arthrofibrosis, and early degenerative changes of the subtalar joint are better defined with these studies. 54 Ongoing research is gradually clarifying the enigmatic symptoms attributed to this anatomic region. This article reviews the anatomy, biomechanics, and diagnostic techniques used for the subtalar joint, along with some specific diagnoses.