A focused training tool for the foot and ankle complex. Work through mechanism, exam findings, and differential diagnosis the way a sports medicine clinician does — with the anatomy and reasoning shown step by step.
8
Anatomic Zones
8
Mechanisms
23+
Conditions
!
Training tool only. Not a substitute for evaluation by a physician, athletic trainer, or other licensed provider. Always seek professional care for real injuries.
Ottawa Ankle & Foot Rules formally encoded for imaging decisions
Age-aware — Sever's, Iselin's, and apophyseal injuries surfaced when skeletally immature
Anatomy Reference available anytime via the Study button
Step 1 of 6 · Athlete
Age and sport shape the diagnosis.
Skeletally immature athletes have entirely different pathologies (Sever's, Iselin's, Köhler's, Salter-Harris fractures) that overlap clinically with adult conditions but live in a different diagnostic neighborhood.
Step 2 of 6 · Pain Location
Where exactly does it hurt?
Location alone narrows the differential dramatically. Pain over the lateral malleolus = different conversation than pain at the navicular.
Lateral view · tap a zone or pick below
Step 3 of 6 · How it happened
What was the mechanism?
Mechanism + location = the most powerful predictor of which structure is involved. Inversion stretches the lateral ligaments; external rotation stresses the syndesmosis.
Step 4 of 6 · Red Flags
Ottawa Rules screening.
The Ottawa Ankle and Foot Rules are validated decision rules — they reduce unnecessary x-rays by ~30% while keeping sensitivity for fracture near 100%.
Ottawa Ankle Rules
X-ray is indicated if there is pain in the malleolar zone AND any of: bone tenderness at the posterior edge of the lateral malleolus, posterior edge of the medial malleolus, OR inability to bear weight (4 steps) both immediately and in the ER.
Step 5 of 6 · Symptoms
The diagnostic trio.
Pain, swelling, function. Time since injury matters — acute vs. chronic changes the whole differential.
5
Pain · 1 (none) to 10 (severe)
None
Mild
Significant
None
Localized
Tracking
Today
Days ago
Weeks+
Full
Partial
None
Step 6 of 6 · Clinical Exam
Which tests are positive?
This is the heart of the foot/ankle exam. Tap any test that reproduces pain, instability, or a positive sign. Tap again to toggle off. Tests stress specific structures — that's how the differential narrows.
Assessment Complete
The data suggests.
Differential diagnosis
Clinical Reasoning
Watch for deterioration
New or worsening numbness, tingling, or color change in the foot
Increasing pain not responsive to rest, ice, elevation
Loss of function that wasn't present initially
Fever, redness, or warmth (signs of infection)
Inability to bear weight that develops after initial improvement
Anatomy Reference
The foot & ankle, studied.
A reference library of the key structures, ligaments, tendons, and provocative tests for the foot and ankle. Use these to study before a case or as a refresher between assessments.