ABSTRACT
Lisfranc injuries are complicated injuries of the tarsometatarsal joint with high
rates of sequelae. Both anatomy and injury of the Lisfranc joint are variably documented.
Descriptions of these injuries and their associated structures vary greatly. The most
injured structures are those of the Lisfranc joint complex, which involves the medial
cuneiform, second and third metatarsals, and the dorsal, interosseous, and plantar
Lisfranc ligaments. This study sought to examine morphology of the Lisfranc joint
in cadavers. Twenty-two embalmed cadaveric feet were dissected (13 male, 9 female,
80.3 years ± 14.03) to isolate the bones and ligaments of the Lisfranc joint complex.
The dorsal, interosseous, and plantar Lisfranc ligaments were present in each specimen.
Each ligament was measured and morphology noted. The dissected dorsal Lisfranc ligament
had consistent morphology (mean = 10.8 mm ± 1.79). The interosseous Lisfranc ligament
had a consistent path, but 11/17 of specimens possessed a connection to the plantar
Lisfranc ligament. The plantar Lisfranc ligament demonstrated wide variability with
a Y-variant (n = 3) and a fan-shaped variant (n = 14). Ligament thickness was greatest
in the interosseous Lisfranc ligament (mean = 13.74 ± 3.08) and least in the dorsal
Lisfranc ligament (mean = 1.36 ± 0.42). While the objective of defining joint and
ligament morphology was achieved, further questions were raised. Variations of the
interosseous and plantar Lisfranc ligament may play a role in susceptibility to joint
injury, and arthritic changes to the joints examined raise questions regarding the
prevalence of arthritis in the uninjured Lisfranc joint.
Level of Clinical Evidence
Keywords
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Article info
Publication history
Published online: July 24, 2022
Footnotes
Funding Disclosure: None reported.
Conflict of Interest: None reported.
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© 2022 by the American College of Foot and Ankle Surgeons. All rights reserved.
