High Ankle Sprain - Treatment

Treatment

Treatment of high ankle sprains depends on severity. An athlete may be out for as little as two to three days or as long as six months. Minor high ankle sprains can be healed by reducing movement of the lower leg and foot with a brace or cast. As with common ankle sprains, using the RICE technique works well:

• Rest
• Ice
• Compression (wrapping, splint or cast)
• Elevation

When a high ankle sprain is diagnosed the doctor will determine if the injury is stable or unstable. Stable injuries are the less severe high ankle sprains when the placement of the tibia and fibula stays normal. Unstable high ankle sprains occur when two or all three syndesmotic ligaments are torn and the tibia and fibula are free to move around. Unstable injuries require more treatment, and usually surgery. During the surgery one or two screws are inserted in the lower leg for a few months (usually three) or until the ligaments have reformed and are able to hold the bones in the proper position. Recovery from a high ankle sprain can take 6 months or longer.

Rehabilitation is very important when dealing with a high ankle sprain. A great deal of high ankle sprains also involve medial and/or lateral ankle sprains; so the rehabilitation has to do with strengthening the different compartment muscles in the lower leg to give the ankle the stability that was lost from the injured ligaments. The effectiveness to rehab and how quickly a person fully recovers from an ankle sprain all depend on the person's body and how well it responds to treatment.