A carbon black transference technique was used to determine the contact
area in twenty-three dissected tibiotalar articulations, with the talus in
neutral position and displaced one, two, four, and six millimeters
laterally. The greatest reduction in contact area occurred during the
initial one millimeter of lateral displacement, the average reduction being
42 per cent. With further lateral displacement of the talus the contact
area was progressively reduced but the rate of change for each increment of
shift was less marked.