WHAT IS AN ACCESSORY LIGAMENT?

I recently had arthroscopic surgery on my ankle to address chronic pain. The doctor mentioned an accessory ligament as the cause. What is this?

An accessory ligament is an additional ligament found in some individuals, which is not always present in every person. It often acts as an extra support to the primary ligament.

Recent research from the University of Athens described an accessory ligament adjacent to the anterior inferior tibiofibular ligament (AITFL), separated by a fat and fibrous partition. This ligament can become pinched against a bone, particularly after an ankle sprain, and may require surgical removal or repair if it causes symptoms.

Constantinos E. Nikolopoulos, MD, et al. “The Accessory Anteroinferior Tibiofibular Ligament as a Cause of Talar Impingement: A Cadaveric Study.” The American Journal of Sports Medicine, March/April 2004, Vol. 32, No. 2, pp. 389-395.