Calcaneonavicular Ligament. The plantar calcaneonavicular ligament also referred to as spring ligament is a thick wide band of cartilaginous connective tissue that supports the medial longitudinal arch of the foot, failure in the spring ligament leads to flat foot deformity.
What is a spring ligament injury?
A spring ligament injury refers to stretching, partial or complete tear of the spring ligament complex that acts as a static stabilizer of the medial longitudinal arch 1. It can affect one or more of the following ligamentous portions 1-3: superomedial calcaneonavicular ligament (clinically most relevant)
How long does a spring ligament take to heal?
The Recovery Process
Since spring ligament repair is often combined with a flatfoot reconstruction, recovery involves typically six weeks of non weightbearing then a walking boot. Physical therapy is required for optimal result, and recovery can take up to 9-12 months.
How do you treat spring ligaments?
The first category consists of a spring ligament that may have mild fraying or weakening without a gross tear and no talar head protrusion. In such cases, a surgical repair is not usually necessary and the main treatment is arch support through bracing or orthotics.
Can you tear your spring ligament?
A spring ligament tear can occur because of failure of the tibialis posterior tendon in adult-acquired flatfoot deformity or as an isolated injury with a normal tibialis posterior tendon. The superomedial spring ligament is the most common site of rupture.
What does a spring ligament tear feel like?
The clinical result is an acquired flatfoot deformity. Clinical symptoms are similar to those of posterior tibial dysfunction. Early in the disease process the patient may complain of vague, activity-related pain at the medial ankle and foot or difficulty with balance and walking on uneven ground.
How do you test a spring ligament?
Significant changes in foot alignment will occur after spring ligament rupture which can be measured with standard X-rays. However, clinicians have traditionally relied upon magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) to confirm spring ligament ligament injury.
Can you walk with a torn ligament in your foot?
The quick answer is yes, typically you can walk with a torn ligament or tendon in the foot. Walking may be painful but you can typically still walk.
What does the spring ligament support?
It connects the navicular bone’s plantar (foot side) surface with the sustentaculum of the calcaneus, a shelf-like facet of the heel bone. It also provides support to the head of the talus, a bone that makes up the lower portion of the ankle joint. In doing so, the ligament bears a significant amount of body weight.
What helps ligaments heal faster?
Balance, control, and strengthening exercises can also help your ligaments heal more quickly than they otherwise would.
Why is it called the spring ligament?
This ligament contains a considerable amount of elastic fibers, so as to give elasticity to the arch and spring to the foot; hence it is sometimes called the “spring” ligament.
