It is an injury that occurs when one twists, bends or rolls their ankle joint in a way that injures the soft tissues. It causes pain due to overstretching the ligaments of the ankle. Ligaments are strong and fibrous tissues that connect a bone to bone. They are on either sides of the ankle and support the ankle joint by allowing it to stretch within certain limits that won’t injure the muscles. A ligament strain occurs when it’s forced beyond its normal range of motion.
Signs and symptoms
- Pain at the site of the sprain
- Swelling
- Tender on touch.
- Ankle instability (ankle feels like it will ‘give way’)
- Redness
- Warmth/heat when you touch.
- Restricted range of motion
- Bruising
- Popping sound at the time of the injury
Causes
- Tripping and twisting at the ankle. This is common in sports that require jumping and sprinting such as basketball. Exercising or running on uneven surfaces poses a high risk.
Diagnosis
- Examination- your physiotherapist will observe the ankle, palpate it, test the stability of the ankle and test the joint’s range of motion.
- Thorough clinical history
- Doing an MRI and X-ray to rule out soft tissues injury and fractures consecutively.
Treatment
- In acute (first four days) phase- rest, Ice application, compression therapy and elevate the ankle. Immobilization using a brace or cast for severe cases.
- Once the inflammation goes down, your physiotherapist will do range of motion exercises, proprioception training and gradual strengthening exercises.
- Ankle taping while playing to support the tissues.
- Thermotherapy and electro therapy
- Manual therapy
- Therapeutic therapy
