Posterior approach for arthroscopic treatment of posterolateral impingement syndrome of the ankle in a top-level field hockey player

A case history of a 25-year-old field hockey player, a member of the German National Field Hockey Team, is presented. The patient could not remember any specific ankle injury, but since the World Indoor Championship in February 2003, he experienced significant but diffuse pain around the posterior ankle, especially while loading the forefoot in hockey training and competition. For 2 months, the patient was unable to run. Conservative treatment failed, and surgery was performed. Posterior ankle arthroscopy revealed a frayed posterior intermalleolar ligament and meniscoid-like scar tissue at the posterolateral ankle, indicating a posterolateral soft tissue ankle impingement syndrome. A concomitant inflammation of the posterolateral ankle and subtalar synovium was present. After arthroscopic resection and early functional aftertreatment, the patient returned to full high-level sports ability within 2 months.