Peroneal muscle influence as a new outlook to the Lauge-Hansen ankle classification: A short report

Background

The Lauge-Hansen classification system is most commonly used for ankle fractures and dictates treatment options. In this report, a new perspective to the Lauge-Hansen classification system involving the influence of the peroneal muscles for ankle fractures is presented.

Methods

The classification is based on a review of 29 ankle fractures treated by a single physician at a healthcare facility. A chi-square test of independence was completed with the provided data. The relationship between peroneal classification and fracture pattern was evaluated. In addition, the relationship between peroneal classification and gender was also evaluated within this study.

Results

When comparing peroneal classification and gender, the chi-square test indicates that there is no significant association between peroneal classification (plus or minus) and gender (p-value = 0.8171). Therefore, we do not have sufficient evidence to conclude that there is an association between these variables. When comparing peroneal classification to fracture pattern, the chi-square test reveals a significant association between peroneal classification and fracture patterns (p-value = 0.019). This suggests that there is a relationship between the type of peroneal classification and fracture patterns observed.

Conclusion

Failure of the peroneal muscles to control supination of the ankle at heel strike may be a contributing factor to inversion injuries of the ankle. The peroneal muscle contraction may also be a contributing factor in the etiology, displacement, difficulty in reduction and recurrent displacement of the fibula and ankle mortise in abduction with external rotation injuries of the foot/ankle.