If you miss your ankles more often than others
Aug 13, 2024
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A mild ankle sprain with slightly stretched ligaments is often left unattended because the pain is not severe and improves over time. However, if the damaged ankle ligament is not properly treated, instability of the ankle can continue and lead to ankle instability, which often sprains the ankle.
Ankle sprains are caused by damage to the ligaments that support the ankle joint when the ankle is severely twisted or folded. About 90% of ankle sprains occur in the outer part of the ankle due to damage to the outer ligament, which causes the soles of the feet to twist inward. It occurs a lot during sports activities, but it is easy to stumble and occur even during daily movements such as walking on uneven floors or walking down stairs.
Pain, tenderness, and swelling are typical symptoms of ankle sprains. If the symptoms are severe, it is difficult to stand with weight, and the moment you get hurt, you can hear a rupture of the ligament. The degree of injury is generally divided into three stages. A first-degree sprain is a condition in which there is only damage to the tissue around the fiber without rupture of the ligament fiber. The second-degree sprain is a state in which a partial rupture of the ligament has occurred, and the third-degree sprain is a case in which the connection is disconnected due to a complete rupture of the ligament.
If you have an ankle sprain, you should give your ankle enough rest and apply a cold compress using ice. In addition, properly press with a bandage and keep the ankle higher than the heart for about 48 hours after injury so that the swelling subsides. If the pain or swelling is severe, or if the sprain is more than 2 degrees, fix the plaster.
Most of them improve with conservative treatment for about four to six weeks, and some require surgical treatment. However, it is reported that chronic ankle joint instability may occur in more than 10% of patients after conservative treatment. In this case, cartilage in the ankle joint can also be damaged.
If the ankle is bent frequently when walking on a bumpy road six months after spraining the ankle, ankle instability can be suspected. If you have ankle instability, you feel weak or anxious in your ankle in your daily life. In particular, it complains of continuous instability even though it has only been folded once. Pain is often accompanied, and in this case, damage to ankle cartilage or structures such as accompanying tendons can be suspected.
`The instability of the ankle joint is a major aftereffect of an acute sprain, and if left untreated, it can cause chronic pain and lead to ankle arthritis and deformation,' explained Yoo In-seon, head of the orthopedic surgery department at Ceran Hospital.
As with acute sprains, non-surgical treatment is applied first to treat ankle instability. Even if the ligament is stretched, it is desirable for the general public to receive at least 3 months of conservative treatment.
Manager Yoo In-seon "If your ankle is sour or stiff when you turn your ankle up, down, left and right, and it is difficult to stand on the ground only with a sprained foot, you can suspect ankle instability."If the condition does not improve with exercise therapy or symptoms persist for more than 6 months, surgical treatment such as ligament suture and ligament reconstruction is also considered." he advised.
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bellho@sportschosun.com
