Overview

Anterior Ankle Impingement (Athlete's Ankle)

Anterior ankle impingement, also known as athlete’s ankle, is a source of chronic ankle pain seen in athletes. The pain is caused by osteophytes (bone spurs) that are impinging on each other or pinching soft tissue between them.

This is an overuse injury that slowly progresses over time in athletes who have played a sport for years that involves repeated ankle extremes of motion either up or down, such as kicking. Symptoms may start to occur to those at least 25 years of age.