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Table 1 list of subjective symptoms and clinical findings presented by the players, out of which pain, joint line tenderness and effusion were common denominators.

From: The importance of early arthroscopy in athletes with painful cartilage lesions of the ankle: a prospective study of 61 consecutive cases

Subjective Symptoms

Number of players

Percentage (%)

Pain

58/61

95

Swelling

15/61

25

Stiffness

2/61

3

Instability

12/61

20

Clicking or locking

8/61

13

Clinical findings

  

Joint line tenderness

56/61

92

Effusion

46/61

75

Decreased ROM

24/61

39

Clicking on passive movement

3/61

5

+ Anterior drawer/Talar tilt test

29/61

48

+ Anterior impingement test

19/61

31

  1. Instability was claimed by 12/61 players, but only as secondary minor symptoms to their main complaint which was pain, thus passing our inclusion criteria. It is remarkable that 48% of the players had positive anterior drawer and talar tilt tests, whilst only 20% had any symptoms of instability at all and none of them claimed this was a major problem for them. Furthermore, even though only 25% complained of swelling, effusion was observed in 75% of the ankles.