The tibiospring ligament is the central component of the superficial deltoid, connecting the anterior medial malleolus to the superomedial part of the spring (plantar calcaneonavicular) ligament. It blends with and reinforces the spring ligament, contributing to the medial arch support mechanism as a combined deltoid-spring ligament complex. This connection creates a functional unit between the medial ankle and the spring ligament in resisting arch collapse.
Connects the medial ankle stabilising system (deltoid) to the plantar arch support system (spring ligament), creating a combined medial stabilising complex that resists both talar planovalgus deformity and medial arch collapse simultaneously.
The tibiospring ligament is an important recent anatomical description that bridges the understanding of deltoid and spring ligament pathology in adult-acquired flatfoot. MRI studies have shown that the tibiospring component is commonly attenuated or torn in stage II tibialis posterior dysfunction, along with the spring ligament proper. Surgical reconstruction targeting the combined tibiospring-spring ligament complex provides more durable correction of medial column instability in flatfoot reconstruction.
Attenuation of the tibiospring ligament along with the spring ligament in tibialis posterior tendon dysfunction allows the medial talar head to collapse plantarward, contributing to the progressive planovalgus deformity; reconstruction of both the tibiospring and spring components during flatfoot surgery provides combined medial ankle and arch stability.
