Subtalar dislocation secondary to a low energy injury

Abstract

An 18-year-old young man presented with an ankle injury, after landing on a supinated right foot following jumping while playing football. A plain X-ray revealed a medial subtalar dislocation. Despite obvious ankle deformity, the surrounding skin remained intact. Closed reduction of the subtalar joint was successfully performed under general anaesthesia in theatre. A CT of the ankle, after reduction, demonstrated a non-displaced fracture of the neck of the talus; no osteochondral defect was observed. This was successfully managed conservatively, with immobilisation of the ankle, in a non-weight bearing cast for 6 weeks. This case highlights that subtalar dislocation may follow a lowenergy mechanism and that such injuries can be managed without open reduction.