Impingement Exostoses of the Talus and Tibia

I have reported a series of seven athletes (with eight involved ankles) operated upon within a period of five years. The smallness of this series indicates that surgical treatment of this conditions is not frequent. In the majority of our cases surgery restored a person who was having increasnig trouble to normal activity. This good prognosis is especially important for the athlete since his efficiency is sharply curtailed by the constant lameness which is caused by exostoses. In the comparative study of the ankles of athletes and non-athletes, the subjects were students of comparable age, all young healthy males. Incidentally, there was no significant difference in findings between those fifteen to twenty years of age and those twenty to twenty-five years of age. We initially divided the subjects into these two age groups but found no statistical differences between them. Whether or not there is some method to prevent impingement exostoses in the athlete or whether or not this conidition is of great importance remains to be seen. Certainly, the majority of the athletes in our series, inspite of considerable involvement, were symptoms-free. The most important consideration is that when a man presensts himself with an indefinite type of complaint regarding the ankle, it behooves one not to overlook the possibility that his trouble may be from impinging exostoses. I would like to repeat that I think surgery is justifiable as a means of obtaining relief even though the patient may get substantial relief merely by sharply curtailing his activity.