An ankle sprain is a very common injury and can occur to anyone. Sprains are not reserved for athletes and show no age discrimination. Twenty-five thousand sprains happen on a daily basis. A sprain occurs when the ligaments - fibrous elastic-like tissue - that hold the ankle joint in position get stretched beyond their normal range of motion and lose their ability to return to their normal position. The ankle joint has a limited capacity to roll, twist and turn. When a force is exerted that exceeds the normal capacity, some of the fibers may tear or the ligament may tear completely.
There are three grades of sprains determined by the amount of force. A grade 1 sprain is characterized by minimal damage to ligaments, usually just a slight stretching, accompanied by a small amount of swelling and mild discomfort. A grade 2 sprain shows tearing of some, but not all, ligament fibers and some instability may result. Also, you’ll notice increasing tenderness and swelling with a limited range of movement. A sprain is classified as a grade 3 when there is complete tearing of a ligament and gross instability. While grades 1 and 2 can be treated with rest, ice, compression, elevation and immobilization. A grade 3 sprain will require immobilization, a lengthy period of rest and no weight on it, followed by physical therapy to recoup strength, function and flexibility. It often may need surgical reconstruction.
The need for surgical repair becomes apparent when the ankle doesn’t properly heal after a lengthy period of non-surgical treatment and attempts at rehabilitation. There are two types of surgery: arthroscopic and reconstructive. In arthroscopic surgery, a doctor uses special equipment to view inside the joint to see if there are bone fragments or if the ligament may perhaps be caught in the joint. In reconstructive surgery, the doctor repairs the torn ligament by suturing it or using other tissue from the foot or ankle to replace or repair the damaged tissue.
The amount of time it takes to recuperate after surgery varies. It depends on the injury itself and the amount of surgical repair required. Don’t expect immediate results. Recovery may take many weeks.
We certainly don’t wish a painful grade 3 sprain on anyone, but don’t neglect or ignore any sprain. Sometimes what may feel like a sprain could be disguised as a fracture. Call Dr. Bowman at (713) 467-8886 and get treatment as soon as possible.
References:
http://orthoinfo.aaos.org/topic.cfm?topic=a00150
http://www.houstonfootspecialists.com/educational-videos.html
Neglecting and ignoring pain could mean a small issue turning into a painful and possibly chronic problem - good information here!
ReplyDeleteIt contains information related to that. I would like to thank you for your efforts to prepare this article.
ReplyDeleteUS Patent No: 8,287,534
premier spine and pain Very efficiently written information. It will be beneficial to anybody who utilizes it, including me. Keep up the good work. For sure i will check out more posts. This site seems to get a good amount of visitors.
ReplyDeleteI haven’t any word to appreciate this post.....Really i am impressed from this post....the person who create this post it was a great human..thanks for shared this with us. ice therapy machine for knee
ReplyDelete