Ankle Pain & Sprains

There are many different causes of ankle pain and the quickest way to heal an ankle injury is to get a proper diagnosis. The treatment for one injury can be quite different to another. This is mostly due to the complexity of the ankle and as such, the right advice can make all difference.
The most common cause of ankle pain is caused by Ankle Sprains other wise known as twisted ankles.
The most common cause of ankle pain is caused by Ankle Sprains other wise known as twisted ankles.
Ankle Sprains
Participating in sports activities is one of the most common ways to get a sprained ankle. But even day-to-day activities such as walking on an uneven surface or slipping on the sidewalk can produce a painful stretching or tearing of the ankle ligaments. If an old sprain wasn’t completely rehabilitated, the ankle may repeatedly get sprained, resulting in chronic ankle instability.
The most common type of sprain is a Lateral Ankle Sprain/inversion sprain (or lateral ligament sprain) where the foot turns inwards, damaging the ligaments on the outside of the ankle. A sprain where the ankle turns inwards (A Medial Ankle Sprain) is much rarer often taking significant forces to do so. This sprain damages the ligaments on the inside of the ankle. In addition to ligament damage there may also be damage to tendons, bone and other joint tissues, which is why it is important to get a professional to diagnose your ankle sprain. If possible, an X-ray should be used, as small fractures or (avulsion fracture) are not uncommon. Severely sprained ankles, where there are complete ruptures of the anterior talofibular, calcaneofibular and posterior talofibular ligaments, result in dislocation of the ankle joint which are often associated with a fracture |
Other Causes of Ankle Pain
Sprained Ankle Ligaments
(Ankle Sprain, Ankle Instability, Inversion/Eversion injury of the ankle) High Ankle Sprain (Syndesmosis Sprain) Broken Ankle (Ankle Fracture) Lisfrac Joint Injury (Ruptured Tarso-Metatarsal Ligaments) Fractured bone (Broken foot) Os Trigonum
(Floating bone in back of the ankle) Snowboarders Ankle (Fracture of the Lateral Process of the Talus) Tibialis Posterior Pain (Acquired Flat Foot/Tib Post Dysfunction/tendonopathy) > More Tendonpathy's (Achilies Tendon, Peroneal Tendons) Ankle Impingment (Blocked Ankle) |
Grades of Ankle Sprains
Sprained ankles, as with all ligaments sprains, are divided into grades 1-3, depending on their severity:
Grade 1 sprain:
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Treatment of Ankle Sprains
Treatment of a sprained ankle can be separated into immediate first aid and longer term rehabilitation and strengthening.
Immediate First Aid for a sprained ankle: Aim to reduce the swelling by RICER (Rest, Ice, Compression, Elevation, and Referral) as soon as possible.
A wobble board / balance board is an important part of the rehabilitation of ankle sprains. |