“It’s just an ankle sprain”…

Have you ever sprained or injured your ankle playing sports? After you have injured your ankle for the first time, the next time you might be thinking, “well, here we go again”. Just another ankle sprain and let’s see how it goes.

But is it just a simple ankle sprain? No, an ankle sprain is never simple.

Ankle sprains are common injuries and certainly one of the most common presentations to our clinic whether it happened on the sporting field or doing a dance move at a party. Even though they are a common injury, they tend to be poorly managed and thus leading to a significantly higher chance of re-occurrence or further development into chronic ankle instability. Studies show that ankle ligaments tend to deteriorate after a sprain.

Ligaments are responsible for providing a joint with stability and working alongside the muscles and tendons. It ensures the bones do not move too far away from each other and dislocate. Ligaments are thick, strong bands of tissue that can withstand most of the forces we put our bodies through. Ligaments sprains can be categorized into 3 different grades, depending on severity:

Grade 1: mild sprain with no joint instability

Grade 2: moderate sprain with some of the ligament fibers torn and mild joint instability

Grade 3: severe sprain where all of the ligament fibers are torn leaving the joint unstable

Smith et al (2021) found some astounding statistics. Up to 40% of ankle sprains go on to develop chronic symptoms, including pain and instability that persist at least 12 months post injury. Unfortunately, following an ankle sprain, deficits in postural control, proprioception and muscle reaction and strength typically occur causing chronic ankle instability. Furthermore, without proper assessment and treatment, 72% of individuals who develop chronic ankle instability are unable to return to their original level of function and 85% of individuals with chronic ankle instability will further develop problems in the contralateral (other side) foot.

Ankle injuries are not just a simple ankle sprain. A simple ankle injury will need 4-6 weeks of re-training practice as a bare minimum to restore full function and to prevent a reoccurrence.

Chronic ankle instability prevention is essential. Seeking appropriate physiotherapy treatment is the most effective prevention strategy to reduce chronic ankle instability and the resulting reduction in your range of motion and function.

Do not be a statistic. Get assessed. Rehab it once. Rehab it properly.