Cavus deformity of the foot after fracture of the tibial shaft

Abstract

Twenty-three cases of claw foot with limited talocrural and subtalar mobility were the result of muscle contracture of the leg after tibial-shaft fracture. A roentgenographic study including arteriography was performed. It was concluded that the typical short cavus foot is due to fibrous contracture of the muscles in the deep posterior compartment caused by vascular damage, swelling in the deep posterior compartment, or severe muscle laceration. On physical examination the distance between the lateral malleolus and the Achilles tendon was shortened in comparison with the sound side in all cases. This was found to be caused by dorsiflexion in the talocrural joint coincident with adduction in the mid-tarsal joint. The angulation of the foot forced the patients to rotate the leg outward in order to get the feet in parallel position for walking. This deformity could be misinterpreted as an inward malrotation of the tibial fracture. In severe cases a derotating three-dimensional wedge osteotomy of the distal part of the tibia was performed with promising results.