Symptoms of a torn calcaneofibular ligament include what?

• A. Heel numbness.
• B. Pain and swelling below the lateral malleolus.
• C. Knee swelling.
• D. Pain in the arch.

Answer: (B)

The key idea is that the calcaneofibular ligament sits on the outer side of the ankle, running from the distal fibula to the calcaneus, and it is irritated and torn with inversion injuries. When this ligament is injured, the most characteristic finding is pain and swelling in the lateral ankle area just below the lateral malleolus, where the ligament attaches. This localized swelling and tenderness reflect the tissue damage in the CFL itself and the surrounding soft tissues.

Heel numbness would suggest nerve involvement rather than a CFL tear, knee swelling points to a different joint, and pain in the arch suggests plantar structures rather than the lateral ankle ligaments. So the presentation most consistent with a CFL tear is pain and swelling below the lateral malleolus.