Causes of Extension of Ankle Ligaments

Extension of the ligaments can be caused during a wide range of activities, often on uneven ground. Some of the more common activities that lead to this are:

• Hiking/Bushwalking on uneven/slippery surfaces.
• Playing sports with lots of varied foot positioning like soccer, netball and hockey.
• Running along the sand at the beach.

Many patients will often repeat the same injury in such activities, as once sprained, the ankle can lose some of its strength.

Extension of the Ankle Ligaments Symptoms and Diagnosis

Most cases of a sprained ankle are caused by excessive unnatural movement of the ankle joint. It is a fairly common injury and is especially common in sports and physical activities.

• Mild Cases

  • In milder cases, the injury usually involves a sprain, with excessive inward or outward rotation of the foot.
  • A patient typically experiences a “kink” on the edge of the foot which results in an overextension of the ligaments. There is usually severe pain, significant bruising and swelling of the ankle joint.
  • The patient’s mobility is restricted and is in immense discomfort. Any strain on the affected joint results in sharp pain and should be avoided where possible.
  • Ample rest and stress-free recovery is highly effective in most cases.

• Chronic Case

  

  • In cases of severe trauma, however, the overstretching of the ligaments can lead to long term degeneration or even rupturing of the ligaments.
  • In this case, the stability of the joint is severely compromised and there is increased risk to further injury. A patient’s long-term functioning can be severely impacted.
  • Professional medical treatment should be pursued immediately. A proper diagnosis of the severity of the injury and a ruling out of complications like bone fragments and ligament ruptures is key to identifying the most effective treatment procedure.

Treatment of Extension of the Ankle Ligaments

Ligament extensions are a direct result of overstraining the ligaments of the ankle joint. Effective treatment begins with addressing the primary symptoms of overextensions with relieving stress and providing ample rest to the joint. Most treatment for ligament overextensions are conservative and don’t require any kind of surgery or invasive procedure.

• Immobilisation

  It is highly recommended to immobilise the joint, taking weight and pressure of the ankle immediately. Avoiding any and all stress allows the joint to rest and begin recovery. Strapping the ankle with bandages at the time of injury will help with this.

• Cooling

  Patients with ankle ligament extensions often experience bruising and swelling of the ankle. Cooling the joint using ice packs or cooling blankets helps reduce the build-up of edema and provides relief.

• Painkillers

  Ankle injuries can be very painful and can cause severe discomfort to patients. Painkillers like Ibuprofen and Panadol can help manage the pain from the injury and provide some relief when directed by your doctor. Importantly, painkillers only temporarily treat the pain without addressing the underlying condition. In addition, tolerance may occur where the effectiveness of the drugs decrease as well as other potential side effects.

• Prescribed Physiotherapy

  

  • In most cases, a combination of rest, proprioception and prescribed physiotherapy can be very effective tools to boost recovery.
  • Physiotherapy helps strengthen the joint and the ligaments and helps to restore mobility. Following a set exercise regime provided by a physiotherapist or GP will help with the rehabilitation of the joint.
  • Remedial massage and hydrotherapy are highly effective in boosting blood circulation and reducing any swelling and pain/discomfort.

• Surgical Intervention

  External surgical intervention is needed only in severe cases of trauma involving complications like a complete rupture of the ligament or presence of bone fragments. In these instances, placing a cast on the joint in the short term helps ensure the proper recovery of the ankle.

• Ankle Braces

  • Recovery from ligament extension can be a long and slow process. Medical ankle braces are highly effective in both conservative as well as post-operative treatment and are recommended by surgeons and physiotherapists alike.
  • These braces are ideal to protect and provide support to a compromised joint, allowing for a swift recovery. The targeted compression accelerates recovery by boosting muscle regeneration.
  • Bauerfeind has a range of ankle supports to treat such sprains at any point of severity, from the MalleoTrain S to the MalleoLoc L3.