Our ankles are made up of 3 bones (the tibia, fibula, and talus) and are held together by strong tissue called ligament. These ligaments purpose is to prevent our jonts from dislocating and allow for stable walking and running. When we twist our ankle (or turn or ankle) too far in any direction, the ligaments can stretch out too far (sprain) they can tear and become inflammed.
Sprains can occur from a variety of ways, such as stepping off a curb incorrectly or getting tackled while playing football.
Ankle sprains commonly occur when athletes land incorrectly on their foot, pivot suddently to change direction, or sustain an injury directly to the ankle. To prevent ankle sprains, wearing properly fitting supportive shoes and inserts is very important. While participating in winter sports, you should wear thick socks and properly fitted boots. Atheltes can also tape their ankles, wear ankle braces, or wear compression to increase ankle support.
There are also many exercises and proprioception training tools (such as a BAPS board) that help prevent sprains.
While many ankle sprains can be treated with conservative modalities, sometimes surgery is the only way to fix the broken ligaments. An MRI gives great visualization as to the extent of the injury and gives insights as to what the best treatment will be. For some incomplete sprains, the ligament can be repaired without a full incision. In cases of complete tears of the ligaments, either direct repair of the ligament is necessary or using a device (such as an internal brace) to replace the ligament.
Our doctors and surgeons are board certified and traianed in a variety of conservative and surgical treatments for ankle sprains. We pride ourselves on staying up to date on all new treatment modalities to ensure the best treatment for our patients.
