Menu

HomeHow it worksContact UsContact Us

Medial Subtalar Joint Dislocation in an 18-Year-Old Athlete with Pes Planus: Beyond A Simple Misstep.

Mathew AV, Gurumurthy B, Punith N, Arunodhaya S, Saran JSRG. ยท Journal of orthopaedic case reports ยท 2026

This is a single case report of an 18-year-old basketball player who dislocated his subtalar joint (the joint below the ankle) after twisting his foot inward. He was treated within two hours by closed reduction, wire stabilization, and splinting; the authors emphasize identifying the injury mechanism and addressing leftover instability promptly.
Takeaway: Seek emergency care immediately for any foot deformity plus severe pain after a twisting injury, since prompt reduction matters.
Abstract (source)

Introduction: Subtalar joint dislocations are rare clinical entities characterized by concurrent dislocations of the talonavicular and talocalcaneal joints. Most commonly, they occur as medial or lateral dislocations, with relatively good outcomes expected for medial dislocations and a worse prognosis for lateral dislocations. Case report An 18-year-old athlete presented with pain and deformity in his left foot following a history of inversion and internal rotation twist injury while playing basketball. After initial evaluation in the casualty, he was taken up for closed reduction with Kirschner-wire stabilization under anesthesia within 2 h of the injury and further immobilized with a posterior splint.

Conclusion: This case highlights the importance of identifying the mode of injury and of neutralizing any residual instability following the reduction procedure with supportive immobilization with or without internal fixation and splintage as early as possible.

Read the original โ†’