You determine that the fibular head glides easily anteriorly but resists posteriorly. What is the name of this dysfunction?

You determine that the fibular head glides easily anteriorly but resists posteriorly. What is the name of this dysfunction?

• A. Anterior fibular head
• B. Posterior fibular head
• C. Superior fibular head
• D. Inferior fibular head

Answer: (A)

In this fibular head dysfunction, the key idea is how the head moves relative to the tibia. When motion toward the front (anterior glide) is easy but motion backward (posterior glide) is resisted, the dysfunction is labeled as an anterior fibular head. The name reflects the direction in which the posterior glide is restricted, so the fibular head is considered anterior in its functional restriction. If the situation were reversed—easy posterior glide with limited anterior glide—it would be a posterior fibular head. The terms superior and inferior describe vertical positioning and aren’t used to capture this anterior-posterior glide pattern.

In this fibular head dysfunction, the key idea is how the head moves relative to the tibia. When motion toward the front (anterior glide) is easy but motion backward (posterior glide) is resisted, the dysfunction is labeled as an anterior fibular head. The name reflects the direction in which the posterior glide is restricted, so the fibular head is considered anterior in its functional restriction. If the situation were reversed—easy posterior glide with limited anterior glide—it would be a posterior fibular head. The terms superior and inferior describe vertical positioning and aren’t used to capture this anterior-posterior glide pattern.