Treatment for chronic ankle injuriesAnkle injuries are usually termed as sports-related injuries as many people think such injuries are more common to athletes. However, one does not have to be an athlete to suffer from chronic ankle injuries. Something simple like walking on the uneven surface can already trigger a painful and debilitating pain. Ankle injuries could take place to anybody regardless of the age. On the other hand, men between the ages 15 and 24 years old may have increased rates of ankle sprain than women who are more than the age of 30 are more at risk than men.
Most of the time, ankle sprains can take place in case of an accident while playing. The most typical ankle injuries are fractures and sprains that involve bones and ligaments in your ankle, yet you could also strain or tear a tendon. Ankle injuries can be defined by the type of tissue, which are tendon, ligament or bone that is damaged.
Treatment Options in Treating Chronic Ankle Injuries
Fractures could be treated either non-surgically or surgically. The doctor might cure the break even with no surgery through immobilizing the ankle provided that just one bone has been broken and when the bones aren’t out of their correct positions and that your ankle is in stable condition.
The physician will perform this by placing a brace which can be used as a splint or through placing a cast. When the ankle is unstable condition then that is the time the fracture should be surgically treated. Usually, the ankle can be made stable through the use of the metal plate with screws to keep the bones in place. After the surgery, your ankle will be protected using a splint till the swelling went down and with a cast.
The bones may take as much as 6 consecutive weeks to heal and your doctor would advise that you keep weight off the affected ankle at this phase so that the bones will be able to heal correctly. Tendons and ligaments may take more time to heal after the fracture has been completely mended. The time needed may go as lengthy as 2 years to experience no pain when moving and walking. Though, in many cases, patients are able to go back to their usual daily routine in 3 to 4 months.
When the doctor is sure that it will not cause any harm when you begin moving your ankle, you might require physical therapy in order to render gait training, strengthening, balance, as well as mobility exercises. The therapist would develop the home program you could use in order to regain the old normal functioning of it. This might take for you to go back to your normal walking pattern with no limping.
Meanwhile, the treatment for sprain will depend on the seriousness of the injury. The treatment can be graded as severe, moderate and mild. Surgery isn’t typically a treatment option for sprains except when the damage to your ankle was extensive wherein more ligaments were affected and if all the other treatment options did not work.
