Posterior inferior tibiofibular ligament
Last revised by Sachi Hapugoda
on 16 Mar 2022
Citation, DOI, disclosures and article data
Citation:
Feger J, Hapugoda S, MacManus D, et al. Posterior inferior tibiofibular ligament. Reference article, Radiopaedia.org (Accessed on 13 Feb 2025) https://doi.org/10.53347/rID-78966
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rID:
78966
Article created:
Disclosures:
At the time the article was created Joachim Feger had no recorded disclosures.
View Joachim Feger's current disclosures
Last revised:
16 Mar 2022,
Sachi Hapugoda
Disclosures:
At the time the article was last revised Sachi Hapugoda had no recorded disclosures.
View Sachi Hapugoda's current disclosures
Revisions:
10 times, by
5 contributors -
see full revision history and disclosures
Systems:
Sections:
Synonyms:
- Posterior tibiofibular ligament
- Posterior inferior tibiofibular ligament (PITFL)
The distal posterior inferior tibiofibular ligament (PITFL) is a strong ligament of the tibiofibular syndesmosis.
On this page:
Gross anatomy
The posterior tibiofibular ligament is formed of multiple collagen bundles with interposed fatty tissue and courses obliquely downward from the posterior distal tibia to the posterior margin of the fibula, in a 20-40° angle to the horizontal plane 1. Proximally it blends with the posterior fibers of the interosseous ligament cranially. It has a triangular shape with transverse and oblique components 2.
Attachments
- proximal origin from the posterolateral tubercle of tibia (Volkmann)
- distally converging insertion at the small posterior fibular tubercle
Radiographic features
MRI
Hypointense in both T1 and T2 with interspersed fatty tissue.
Related pathology
References
- 1. Hermans J, Beumer A, De Jong T, Kleinrensink G. Anatomy of the Distal Tibiofibular Syndesmosis in Adults: A Pictorial Essay with a Multimodality Approach. J Anat. 2010;217(6):633-45. doi:10.1111/j.1469-7580.2010.01302.x - Pubmed
- 2. Jayatilaka M, Philpott M, Fisher A, Fisher L, Molloy A, Mason L. Anatomy of the Insertion of the Posterior Inferior Tibiofibular Ligament and the Posterior Malleolar Fracture. Foot Ankle Int. 2019;40(11):1319-24. doi:10.1177/1071100719865896 - Pubmed
- 3. Hu W, Chen D, Li B, Yang Y, Yu G. Motion of the Distal Tibiofibular Syndesmosis Under Different Loading Patterns: A Biomechanical Study. J Orthop Surg (Hong Kong). 2019;27(2):230949901984287. doi:10.1177/2309499019842879 - Pubmed
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