Ankle Injuries
Ankle Injuries
In light of current world golfing number one Rory McIlroy’s ankle injury, we here at Lilliput Health thought it would be very topical to cover this topic in our blogs. Our Chartered Physiotherapist Rebecca Wyatt discusses Rory’s injury further and advises what you should do if you find yourselfin a similar sitation.
“I turned over my ankle”, “I twisted my ankle”, “My ankle gave way”. These are all common reported mechanisms of injury to ankles seen at Lilliput Health in Poole. Not all individuals are sporting, they may have been out walking the dog or slipped off the bottom step but nevertheless, ankle injuries can be very painful and varying degrees of injury can occur. When a patient rolls their ankle over, we term this an “inversion injury” and typically pain is felt on the outside (lateral) part of the ankle.
How To Diagnose Lateral Ankle Injuries?
There are several structures around the lateral ankle which can be affected. Rory McIlroy had to recently pull out of the Scottish Open as he ruptured his anterior talo-fibular ligament (ATFL) and sustained some damage to his joint capsule (to see his official post on social media confirming his injury, click here). The outside of the ankle joint is kept stable by a lateral ligament complex, consisting of four ligaments which are designed to resist excessive force when the ankle twists. During an inversion injury, these ligaments can become overstretched and even tear leading to pain, bruising and swelling.
If there has been excessive force or trauma, or you heard a click during the injury it is important to rule out any possibility of a fracture. An immediate visit to your local A+E department is the best choice here and they will be able to assess you accordingly. If you are not sure, or you are concerned about your ankle it is recommended that you still visit A+E for peace of mind. Once you have been seen in A+E or by your GP, and a fracture has been ruled out, it is highly advisable to visit a Physiotherapist. A Chartered Physio will be able to assess the degree of ligament and soft tissue damage and they will be able to best advise you on rehabilitation to get you back on your feet (no pun intended).
In some circumstances, any soft tissue damage, capsule involvement or instability (when there is excessive accessory movement in the ankle joint) may require further investigation in the form of an ultrasound or MRI scan. Your Physiotherapist will be able to advise further if they feel this is necessary.
If you have injured your ankle recently, or know someone who has it is vital they have it assessed by an experienced Physiotherapist in order to ensure full recovery and return to normal function. If you would like further information you can contact us here at Lilliput Health here on 01202 725090 or via info@lilliputhealth.co.uk
If you wish to learn more about the ankle and ankle injuries, please follow these links to a previous 2 part series of blogs.
Ankle Sprains- part 1