All Conditions
Ankle Injuries
Ankle injuries involve damage to specific types of tissues: bone, ligament, or tendon. Ankle injuries are often associated with sports, but they can happen to anyone, regardless of their athletic background. Even walking on an uneven surface can lead to a painful sprain, causing discomfort and limitation. The common injuries involve ligaments and bones, resulting in sprains and fractures, while tendon tears or strains are also possible.
Symptoms
- Tenderness results from the sensitivity of the injured area, making it painful to the touch.
- Putting weight on your ankle can lead to pain due to the strain on injured tissues.
- Difficulty in walking from the pain, swelling, and instability resulting from the ankle injury.
- Bruising occurs due to damaged blood vessels, leading to the discoloration of the skin
- Ankles may feel unstable, as if they could collapse.
- Swelling is a natural response to injury, as the body increases blood flow to the area to promote healing.
Treatment
Ankle injuries, like sprains and fractures, can often be managed through conservative methods such as the RICE protocol (rest, ice, compression, elevation), ankle bracing, and over-the-counter pain relievers. If these measures prove insufficient, medical intervention may be necessary. Steroid injections can reduce pain and inflammation, while physical therapy can enhance ankle strength and stability. In cases of severe and persistent ankle issues, surgical options like ankle arthroscopy, ligament reconstruction, fusion, or replacement may be recommended, aiming to restore function and ease pain. Innovative treatments such as avascular necrosis therapy and 3D-printed bone replacements, provide advanced solutions for complex ankle conditions.
