Ankle ligament rupture is most often noted in athletes. As a rule, basketball and volleyball players are primarily at risk. But no one is safe from such an injury. This occurs during an awkward movement, especially often as a result of an unsuccessful jump. At the same time, the human foot is tucked inward and bent unnaturally. As a result, a complete or partial rupture of the ligament occurs.
Types of damage
Rupture of the ligament of the
ankle joint can be of a different nature. There are three types of severity of this injury:
- Lightweight. With this variant of damage, only individual fibers suffer. Doctors usually call such an injury a sprain. However, such a term does not correspond to reality. Ligament fibers do not have such elasticity that they can be stretched.
- Medium. Here we are already talking about a significant strain. It is not individual fibers that suffer, but a significant part of them.
- Severe form. In this case, there is a complete rupture of the ligament of the ankle joint, and often during the examination revealed its separation from the attachment point.
Symptoms of ankle damage
With all forms of damage to this joint, whether partial or complete rupture, the same symptoms are observed. But the degree of their severity is different. A person who has received such an injury will primarily complain of severe pain while walking. In a severe case, he will not be able to fully step on his leg. Visually, a strong edema can be noted, bruising at the site of damage will also be clearly visible. On palpation, severe pain is noted. Rupture of the ligament of the ankle joint does not deprive a person of the ability to walk. But due to severe pain and swelling that spreads to the front as well as the outside of the foot, it will be very difficult to perform this action.
Treatment of ankle ligament rupture
In a mild form, this injury is healed on its own. The main thing is to provide rest to a limb and not to load it. It is possible to do with painkillers. In severe cases, surgical treatment will be required. As a rule, surgery may be required if there is a complete rupture of the ligaments or their separation, if there is a profuse and pronounced hemorrhage in the periarticular tissues. Surgery is also required when an injury has led to an open injury to the articular-ligamentous apparatus. But this happens extremely rarely. The operation is prescribed only after 5 weeks from the moment of injury. You should not postpone it to a later date, since there is a risk of complications with incomplete recovery. The patient's condition noticeably worsens. If timely surgical intervention has not occurred, then it is likely that the joint function in a person will not fully recover. Rupture of the ligaments of the ankle joint (a photo of the damage itself and the situation in which it occurs can be seen in this article) is, although not a frequent, but rather serious injury. It can permanently deprive a person of the ability to move normally, introducing a lot of inconvenience into everyday life.