IADMS New York 2002   [back to the Category]

Posterior Ankle Pain in Dancers and Athletes: Diagnosis and Treatment   [read the french version]

Author :   William G. Hamilton, MD

Posterior Ankle Pain in Dancers and Athletes:
Diagnosis and Treatment

William G. Hamilton, MD
School of American Ballet, New York City Ballet, American Ballet Theater
New York, New York, USA



Posterior ankle pain in dancers and “equinus athletes” is a common problem. It is usually one of three types: 1) posterolateral pain from impingement on an os trigonum or trigonal process; 2) posteromedial pain from “Dancer’s Tendonitis” of the Flexor Hallucis Longus tendon; and 3) a combination of both conditions occurring at the same time. The history, physical findings, nonsurgical and surgical treatment will be discussed. In our series of one hundred cases, the overall surgical results were 80% Good to Excellent. A larger proportion of the Fair and Poor results occurred in the amateur dancers versus the professionals.