1 Ankle Sprains
Every day in the United States 25,000 people sprain their ankle and more than 1 million people end up in the Emergency room because of an ankle related injury. The ankle joint is an inherently weak joint and is no surprise why this is the most common type of sports injury. An Ankle sprain is an injury to one or more of your ankle ligaments. SA sprained ankle usually occurs on the field but can also result from a sudden twist, fall or mis-step and creates a force behind the ligament capacity to hold the adjacent bones together. In some cases patient’s are predisposed to ankle sprains due to their elasticity and flexibility. When there is over elasticity this is known as a connective tissue disorders such as Marfan’s or Ehler’s Danlos Syndrome.
Symptoms of an ankle sprain include pain, swelling, difficulty ambulating, bruising and inability to move the joint. Depending on the severity of the injury the symptoms may vary in intensity. Whether severe or mild sprain expert prompt medical attention is often necessitated. An injured ankle with chronic history of ankle sprains may lead to ankle instability and create a significantly weakened ankle and goes a sense of “giving out” to the patient. It is also important to rule out any underlying fractures that are usually associated with severe ankle sprains. Physical therapy and early rehabilitation are important as delaying treatment may cause the ligaments to not heal properly. It is important to see your health care provider and have proper evaluation and x-rays taken to rule out any fractures in the foot or ankle. We look forward to treating you and making you walk out of our office pain free!
The mainstays of treatment include rest, ice, elevation and compression and early rehabilitation with physical therapy. Medications such as nonsteroidal anti-inlammatories may also help in the acute phase.
Surgery is required when injuries result in tearing of the ankle ligaments causing the ankle to be unstable. Surgery includes repairing the damaged ligaments as well as reinforcing the ligamentous complex.
If you experience an ankle sprain or have a history ankle sprains please do not hesitate to contact our office for a consultation and we can provide with all the treatment you may need.