Most people have rolled or twisted their ankle a couple of times in their lives. If you can “walk it off” without any lingering pain, you might feel a deep sense of relief. Ankle injuries often happen quickly, with one forceful movement, and they can be painful and severe. You might notice that there’s something wrong right away, but sometimes it can take some time for pain from an ankle injury to increase.
Anybody can injure their ankle while going about their daily activities. However, walking on uneven surfaces, wearing poor-fitting shoes, and playing sports like basketball or football can make an ankle injury more likely. You can take steps to protect yourself from ankle injuries by conditioning your lower legs and ankles, staying physically fit, warming up before workouts, and wearing proper footwear. In the event that you do injure your ankle, the treatment will depend on the severity of your injury. You should seek emergency care or see a physical therapist for an assessment.
In this blog post, we’ll explore the three most common types of ankle injuries.
What are the 3 most common types of ankle injuries?
The three most common types of ankle injuries are sprains, fractures and Achilles tendinitis. Sprains and tendinitis both affect tendons, which are the thick bands of tissue that connect muscle to bone. The difference is that sprains tend to happen during an acute injury, when a tendon is forced out of its natural range of motion. Tendinitis can be aggravated by an injury, but it tends to come about because of repetitive motions or overuse. Any of the three bones that make up the ankle joint can be fractured: the tibia, fibula and talus.
3 of the most common types of ankle injuries
Our ankles are complex joints that help us balance and absorb a lot of force when we stop, pivot or hit the ground with our feet. They also have a wide range of motion, which is one of the main reasons why they’re so easily injured. Our feet are long and wide to stabilize us. Because they stick out so far and because our ankles support the entire weight of our bodies, it doesn’t take much to pull them out of alignment. Our ankle bones are also vulnerable to excessive force because of their position near the ground.
Here’s some more information about the three most common types of ankle injuries:
Sprains — There are several tendons that connect your leg joints to your ankle bones and wrap around the tops of your feet to create stability. Any time you roll, twist or turn your ankle to an extreme degree, there’s a chance you might damage one of these tendons. Sprains range from minor stretches to partial and complete tears. You may notice pain, swelling, tenderness or bruising. You might hear a popping sound at the time of injury, and a sprain can cause your ankle to become unstable or restrict its movement.
Fractures — Ankle fractures or broken ankles range in severity from tiny cracks that don’t displace the bone or affect your ability to walk to multiple fractures that may require surgery. An ankle fracture can also be a compound fracture, which means the bone sticks out from under the skin. Some form of immobilization is usually required for fractures to heal completely. If you suspect your ankle might be broken, you should seek emergency care. You’ll need imaging tests to determine the extent of your injury.
Achilles tendinitis — The Achilles tendon runs down the back of your ankle, connecting your calf muscles to your ankle bone. It can become irritated and inflamed, for example, if you suddenly increase your running routine or you play sports infrequently. This happens when tiny tears form in your Achilles tendon. In some cases, this can result in a partial or complete tear. Keeping your muscles and tendons conditioned with regular exercise and stretching is important to prevent Achilles tendinitis, and you should also warm up before athletic activities. If you suspect you have Achilles tendinitis, you should rest your ankle and wait for your pain to subside before doing any activity that aggravates your pain.
How can physical therapy help me recover from an ankle injury?
When you’re developing an overuse injury or your ankle injury isn’t too severe, physical therapy may be your first step toward recovery. A physical therapist can use techniques like manual therapy or dry needling to mobilize your ankle and stimulate deep healing. They can also show you stretches and exercises you can do at home to care for your ankle while you’re recovering. Finally, they can help you strengthen and rehabilitate your ankle to prevent reinjury.
Physical therapy can help you heal from an ankle injury in the following ways:
Promoting fast healing — Most physical therapy treatments increase circulation in the affected area and help with pain and stiffness. With a fresh supply of nutrient-rich blood, your body can repair itself more effectively.
Recovering range of motion — Scar tissue forms around an injury to help you rebuild tissue, but as you heal, it needs to be cleared away. Physical therapy helps to break up scar tissue and restore healthy movement.
Strengthening and conditioning — An injury can weaken your ankle, especially if it needs to be immobilized for a period of time. Strengthening and conditioning helps restore use of your ankle and makes it more resilient.
Preventing reinjury — You may need to make some adjustments to protect your ankle from reinjury, even after it’s fully healed. Your PT can advise you on how to modify activities, exercise your ankle or use equipment for long-term injury prevention.
If you’re experiencing mild or moderate pain in your ankle, you should rest and use the RICE method: rest, ice, compression and elevation. If your pain doesn’t go away in about a week, you should see a physical therapist for an evaluation. At KC Rehab, we take the time to find out what’s really causing your pain. We offer natural physical therapy treatments and work with our patients to create treatment plans that work for them. Helping you understand your body and your condition is an important part of what we do.
The only way to know for sure what’s causing your ankle pain is to get an assessment. Get in touch with us to schedule an appointment. Let’s find out what’s happening so we can help you feel better.
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