Final answer:
A high ankle sprain, or syndesmotic sprain, is commonly associated with a distal spiral fracture of the tibia, resulting from stretching or tearing of the distal tibiofibular ligaments. Less frequent are eversion sprains leading to Pott's fracture-dislocation. Inversion sprains are most common and may involve damage to the anterior talofibular ligament and possibly a distal fibula fracture.
Step-by-step explanation:
The ankle injury associated with a distal spiral fracture of the tibia is typically a syndesmotic ankle sprain, also known as a "high ankle sprain." This injury occurs when there is stretching or tearing of the ligaments that form the strong syndesmosis at the distal tibiofibular joint. These ligaments, which include the interosseous membrane and other ligaments at this joint, maintain the position of the talus between the medial malleolus and lateral malleolus, preventing separation of the tibia and fibula.
Less common than high ankle sprains are eversion sprains of the ankle, which involves the stretching of the deltoid ligament on the medial side. These can lead to a Pott's fracture-dislocation, which is where the deltoid ligament shears off the medial malleolus of the tibia.
Typically, with an inversion ankle sprain, which is the most frequent ankle injury, the anterior talofibular ligament is most commonly damaged, and in severe cases, there may be an associated fracture of the distal fibula due to the forceful lateral movement of the talus.