Clinicopathological studies of fractures of the calcaneus with special reference to findings of CT and prescale

A comparative study was undertaken in 116 cases of fracture of the calcaneus using prescale footprints, clinical and radiological findings. According to the CT findings, fractures can be classified into four types: two part, three part, four part and crush fracture. Based on the CT images taken at the time of injury, prognosis for two part fractures was good, whereas the prognosis for crush fractures was poor. There was a significant correlation between the lateral protrusion rate (PR) as seen on the CT images and the clinical results. In fact, in those cases where the lateral protrusion rate was over 30 %, clinical results were poor. With regards to footprints, in cases with poor clinical results, weight applied on the forefoot was decreased. Significant correlation was also noted between clinical results and sole pressure distribution. Finally, tendovaginitis of the peroneal tendons caused by a widening of the calcaneal body no less than incongruity of the subtalar joint was a factor of pain induction. (author)