MRI of sports-related injuries of the foot and ankle: part 1.

The ankle is one of the most frequently injured joints in the course of sports activities. MR imaging has become the modality of choice in the evaluation of most of these lesions, especially in competitive athletes. The purpose of this article is: (1) To illustrate the MR imaging features of a great number of sports-related injuries of the ankle, correlating it with lesional mechanisms and clinical findings, and (2) To review the role of MR imaging in clinical management and surgical planning of these injuries, especially in competitive athletes. In order to a better understanding of these lesions, a classification based on the anatomic origin are outlined. The spectrum of injuries has been classified in: (1) osseous lesions, (2) ligamentous injuries, (3) tendinous lesions, (4) impingement impingement, and (5) plantar fascial lesions.