Posterior Tibiofibular Ligament of a Human Male as, Posterior View

Description

Posteriorly, the distal tibia and fibula form the ankle mortise with the talus seated inferior to the tibial plafond and medial to the fibular malleolus. A robust posterior tibiofibular ligament spans the posterior aspect of the distal tibiofibular syndesmosis, running from the posterior tibial tubercle (Volkmann tubercle) obliquely inferolaterally to the posterior margin of the lateral malleolus and the posterior inferior tibiofibular fibers. Deep to this plane, the posterior talofibular ligament may be appreciated coursing from the malleolar fossa of the fibula to the posterior process of the talus. The calcaneus appears inferior to the talus as the hindfoot base. This posterior perspective is the one you want when teaching syndesmotic stability, because it clarifies how the posterior inferior tibiofibular ligament and transverse component resist posterior translation and external rotation of the talus within the mortise. High ankle sprains often disrupt the anterior inferior tibiofibular ligament first, but persistent mortise widening on stress views or intraoperative hook testing frequently reflects injury to the posterior syndesmotic complex. Reduction quality matters. Malreduction after syndesmotic screw or suture-button fixation can leave the fibula posteriorly translated, changing contact pressures across the tibiotalar joint and predisposing to post-traumatic arthrosis. Use this artwork in orthopedic and sports medicine teaching on ankle instability, in radiology correlation pieces that compare CT axial assessment of syndesmotic alignment to gross anatomy, or in operative manuals describing the posterolateral approach and safe zones around the posterior malleolus and peroneal tendons. Anatomical accuracy verified by SciePro's Medical Advisory Board.