Foot and Ankle Injuries:
The ankle is one of the most common sites for acute musculoskeletal injuries, and ligament sprains account for 75 percent of ankle injuries. Acute ankle trauma is responsible for up to 30 percent of sports-related injuries in young athletes. About half of ankle sprains have the potential to cause chronic problems.
Along with ankle sprain involving ankle ligaments, the foot is commonly involved in sports related injuries. Each foot has 33 joints, 26 bones, 107 ligaments, 19 muscles and tendons. Any of these structures may be involved in an injury and therefore timely specialist assessment is important to improve outcome and return to sports.
Common Injuries are as under:
- Ankle ligament Injury. Ankle Instability
- Sub Talar ligament Injury
- Subtle injury to syndesmosis
- Fractures of Calcaneus (heel bone)
- Talus (ankle bone)
- Midfoot fractures and dislocations
- Metatarsals
Ankle & Sub talar ligament injuries:
- Patients with acute ankle injuries should be assessed by an experienced clinician
- Ankle ligament injuries are diagnosed on the basis of tenderness, swelling or bruising over the ligaments
- The diagnosis of instability is initially made on clinical examination by an experienced clinician; in case of doubt the examination should be repeated at 48-72 hours
- Ankle radiographs are requested as indicated by the Ottawa Rules
- No other imaging is generally indicated in the acute setting
- Minor stable injuries normally require advice on self-care, on the natural history of the condition and on how to obtain further advice should the ankle fail to settle
- Major stable injuries, with severe pain and swelling, require more intensive management, Ankle Instability
- Recurrent injuries and Injured ankles which are failing to settle generally require further investigation and treatment, particularly to exclude ankle joint injury
- Surgery is not generally required for acute ankle ligament injuries, but it need timely specialist assessment and advice on management to prevent chronic ankle problems
