High Ankle Sprains
High Ankle Sprains are not just another ankle sprain
Ankle sprains are one of the most common injuries seen in clinical practice. The athletic and general population can both suffer from recurrent sprains that can become chronic and stubborn. However, there is a subset of ankle sprains that can present differently to your typical ankle roll.
What is a high ankle sprain?
High ankle sprains are an injury to the ligament between your shin bones. This ligament creates significant stability in your ankle, and if injured, can create pain and instability during weightbearing activities. Injury is typically graded in three severities (Gr I, Gr II, Gr III), which determines the degree of ligament injury. Mild injuries inflict partial laxity to the ligament, while severe injuries can result in complete ruptures
What are the signs and symptoms?
Typically, how you have rolled your ankle is one of the most important factors in diagnosing a high ankle sprain. Rather than your typical ankle roll, these sprains occur with a rotational force, where your foot is planted and your body rotates on your ankle. Pain is localised to the front of the ankle, where feelings of instability may be present.
How is a high ankle sprain diagnosed?
The team at Williamstown Health and Lifestyle are trained in identifying and triaging high ankle sprains. With a thorough physical examination, our clinicians will perform specific assessments to examine the stability of your ankle. If a high ankle sprain is suspected, then a standing X-ray will be ordered to assess the grading of injury. Low grades have a good clinical outcome and prognosis is typically 4-6 weeks, while high grades can be several months.
How are high ankle sprains managed?
Management is dependent on the severity of injury, however majority of stable high ankle sprains are managed conservatively. Only high grade, unstable injuries may need surgical consideration.
Conservative management typically includes the use of crutches or an ankle brace to protect the ligament to ensure pain free walking. Your therapist will then provide a gradual exercise program to get you back to your goals. Ligament rehabilitation will include movements specific to your overall goals.
The team at Williamstown Health and Lifestyle are here to help you with all your injuries. We utilise shockwave and laser therapy alongside manual therapy and exercise prescription to help you manage any issue you might be facing and get you back to doing the things you love. Please don’t hesitate to contact us on (03) 9397 8877 or book online here!
