In case you didn’t know, a sprained ankle is the most common type of injuries that athletes tend to experience the most and is also the main reason why people go to visit an orthopedist.
A study by the HSS has even shown that there are around 30,000 ankle sprains occurring everyday in the United States alone – with one study accounting for 13% of all the musculoskeletal injuries. In fact, in more recent studies, it was found that these injuries have shown that 10% to 40% of them result in continuous symptoms after the initial injury.
Despite such a high number of injuries, conventional wisdom has led professional caretakers to recommend various kinds of conservative treatment.
Types of Ankle Sprains
There are two different types of classifications when it comes to ankle sprains: Anatomic and Functional.
The anatomic includes strained lateral ligaments, partial tearing of one or more ligaments or a complete rupture of one or more ligaments. In contrast, the functional includes the patient being able to fully bear their weight and walk, a patient walking with a limp or being completely unable to walk.
Treatment
It is essential that you reduce the swelling in the injury area as soon as possible when the damage happens. This will expedite the healing and protect the ankle when it is in its vulnerable state. Some early functional rehabilitation includes:
- RICE protocol (Rest, Ice, Compression, and Elevation)
- Motion exercises progressive weight bearing that is guided by levels of pain.
- Physical therapy which includes proprioceptive training where studies have shown that patients with injuries can develop proprioceptive deficits. This means that the body loses its ability to localize the ankle position. Which is why functional rehabilitation focuses on identifying and restoring these deficits while encouraging limb strength.
There are still many other ways you can treat ankle injuries the right way. As a renowned orthopedics surgeon, educator, and inventor, Mohammed Alshouli has been known for his exceptional work in reconstructing complex ankle and foot trauma cases. Over the years of his career he has gained a lot of experience in treating and operating these injuries as well sports and arthroplasty disorders. He specializes in the preservation, investigation, and restoration of the form and function of the extremities, spine, and associated structures by medical, surgical, and physical means.
Currently, he serves as the Chairman of the Orthopedic Department and Consultant in Orthopedics and Foot and Ankle surgery at Prince Mohammad bin Abdulaziz Hospital. He worked as the Assistant Consultant at King Khalid University Hospital and established the diabetic foot multi-disciplinary team to medically deal with diabetic feet in National Care Hospital and Saudi German Hospital. Additionally, he has served as the Program Director of the Orthopedic Residency Training Program in SCFHS.
Moreover, he is also an expert in dealing with congenital deformities, trauma, infections, tumors, including the metabolic disturbances of the musculoskeletal system, injuries and degenerative diseases of the spines, feet, hands, knee, hip, and more. Currently, he is focused on developing a local health care program for diabetic foot preventive care and virtual design of Foot and Ankle surgical simulation laboratory for resident training.
