Presentation
Ankle pain
Patient Data
Elongated posterior process of the talus representing a Stieda process. No acute bony injury. No other findings of note. The AP ankle radiograph was unremarkable.
Case Discussion
The secondary posterolateral talus ossification center normally forms between 8-13 years old and generally fuses with the body of the talus within a year. If fusion does not occur then an os trigonum results, alternatively fusion occurs but the resultant structure is prominent, producing a Stieda process.
A Stieda process per se is not pathological, however its presence increases the risk of the posterior ankle impingement syndrome.