Trauma to the ankle joints may cause thickening of the synoviom (lining inside the ankle joint) and may cause loose fragments of bone and/or cartilage to brake off and float around the ankle joint. This causes recurrent symptoms of pain, instability and swelling. If non-operative treatment fails, ankle arthroscopy can be used to treat these conditions. The loose fragments can be removed or placed fixed back to their base, and the thickened scar tissue can be resected. Good results are common with these procedures and most patients resume their pre-injury level of competition in three to six months.