When is it not a Simple Ankle Sprain?
Ankle sprains are amongst the commonest sports injuries. They may go undiagnosed or sometimes occur during our simple daily functional activities.
Ankle sprains are amongst the commonest sports injuries. They may go undiagnosed or sometimes occur during our simple daily functional activities.
An ankle sprain is a musculoskeletal injury that affects the ligaments that surround and connect the bones of the leg to the foot.The ligaments may overstretch or sometimes tear. Don’t confuse a sprain with a complete tear. A sprain typically implies the soft tissues have been elongated or inflamed whilst a rupture implies there is discontinuity in the structure of the tendon / ligament / muscle.
You may have an ankle sprain when you accidentally twist, move or rotate your ankle in an abnormal way. This may lead to tears or stretches in your ligaments which hold your ankle bones and joints together.
Here are some of the causes of ankle sprains
As with most injuries, the severity will dictate the sort of treatment warranted. Ankle sprains are classified into different grades depending on the extent of ligament damage.We have grade 1, grade 2 and grade 3 ankle sprains.
The grade 1 ankle sprain happens when a ligament(s) experience slight damage. The affected joint does not experience any complication as it is in a stable condition.
The grade 2 ankle sprain happens as a result of a partial tear to a ligament. The ligament here is overstretched to a degree that it becomes loose.
The grade 3 ankle sprain happens as a result of the complete tear of a ligament which in turn affects the stability of the affected joint. You will see signs of bruises around the ankle if the severity reaches this grade.
There are various types of ankle sprains, classified based on the anatomy of the damaged ligaments
Most people don’t take ankle sprains very seriously. Whilst it is true that with most ankle sprains, ligaments take the brunt of it, in high energy sprains, the ankle cartilage may also get damaged. This leads to cartilage defects in the ankle commonly referred to as osteochondral lesions. This condition is a precursor to ankle arthritis and if left untreated can quickly progress with pain, swelling and eventual deformity.
An ankle sprain that is still problematic after 2 weeks, should warrant a specialist consultation with a view to performing Xrays and maybe an MRI scan. This is the best way to diagnose cartilage or other associated damage to the ankle from the sprain.
Here are the symptoms being reported by patients after an ankle sprain
For the evaluation of your injury, the foot and ankle surgeon will request a detailed report of the symptoms and examine your foot. X-rays or MRI scans may be requested to determine the severity of your injury.
Here are the treatment measures for ankle sprains.
Some of the important prevention measures of ankle injuries are as follows:
If you feel you have sprained your ankle, call your doctor immediately to prevent further damage and ensure a quick recovery.