Posterior compartment fractures of the ankle A commonly missed athletic injury*

This paper brings to the reader’s attention an injury and symptom complex resulting from an ankle sprain during athletic competition. Twenty patients were re-viewed and followed over a 3½ year period of time. Three patients presented acutely and 17 patients pre-sented after an extended period of time with residual ankle morbidity. Common to this group of patients was a history of having sustained an ankle sprain, most commonly secondary to a forced plantar flexion type injury. Subsequent disability was generally posterior and postero-lateral ankle pain associated with running and/or jumping. Clinical examination invariably demon-strated posterior ankle pain, particularly with forced plantar flexion of the foot. All patients demonstrate