AI Summary & Key Takeaways
AI InsightConclusion: The lateral border of the tibialis anterior tendon appears to be a relatively consistent and reliable palpable landmark for ankle centre localization, with minimal influence from demographic factors, and may serve as a practical reference for distal alignment in total knee arthroplasty.
📌 3 Key Takeaways
Abstract
Aims: To evaluate the reliability of commonly used palpable anatomical landmarks for ankle centre localization and to determine the influence of demographic factors on these measurements. Methods: This retrospective study included 80 patients with normal ankle anatomy. The ankle centre was defined on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) based on the talar dome, and distances to three palpable landmarks, the lateral border of the tibialis anterior tendon, the intermalleolar midpoint, and the extensor hallucis longus tendon—were measured. Comparisons were performed according to sex and age groups. Correlation and multiple linear regression analyses were conducted to assess the relationships between variables and the effect of demographic factors. Results: The mean distance to the lateral border of the tibialis anterior tendon was significantly greater in males compared to females (10.01±1.25 mm vs. 9.16±1.10 mm, p=0.004). No significant sex-related differences were observed for the intermalleolar midpoint (2.12±0.62 mm vs. 2.33±0.60 mm, p=0.165) or the extensor hallucis longus (1.65±0.43 mm vs. 1.66±0.36 mm, p=0.902). Age group analysis showed no significant differences for the tibialis anterior tendon (p=0.382) or the intermalleolar midpoint (p=0.248), whereas a significant difference was found for the extensor hallucis longus (p=0.035). In regression analysis, male gender was independently associated with the tibialis anterior tendon distance (β=0.319, p=0.004), while age was not a significant predictor for any parameter. Conclusion: The lateral border of the tibialis anterior tendon appears to be a relatively consistent and reliable palpable landmark for ankle centre localization, with minimal influence from demographic factors, and may serve as a practical reference for distal alignment in total knee arthroplasty.