An ankle sprain is one of the most common injuries. Rest, ice, compression, and elevation, or the RICE rule, will be the go-to’s for ankle sprains. In most cases, ankle sprains heal between 4-12 weeks depending on the severity of the injury. Although the injuries will heal with time, a failure to seek treatment and physical rehabilitation for your ankle after just one injury is enough to leave it weaker. Consequently, this makes your ankle more vulnerable to future sprains or chronic instability. Interestingly, about 20% of ankle sprains are estimated to lead to chronic instability.
What causes you chronic instability after an ankle sprain?
After an ankle injury, there is damage to the ligaments, tendons, and potentially even the ankle joint itself. Here, the function of the ligament is to limit abnormal movement in the joint. Because of the injury, they will get lax (stretched out), making the ankle more unstable. Additionally, this will result in a loss of strength in the muscles, further increasing the instability of the ankle. Also, sensory receptors which communicate to our brain where your ankle is in space become impaired. Ultimately, this decreased sensation alongside structural weakness makes it hard to balance and control the ankle. This leads to chronic ankle instability.
How do you know if you have instability post ankle sprain?
Consider the questions below if you have ever sprained your ankle and feel that it has not been the same since.
• Does your ankle ever give out or feel like it might?
• Do you avoid walking on uneven surfaces out of fear of falling?
• Do you feel like you can’t “trust” the ankle?
• Do you try to avoid putting all your weight onto the affected ankle?
If you said yes to these questions, you may have chronic ankle instability.
Is it permanent?
Chronic ankle instability is not permanent. You can improve your ankle stability with the help of a Physical Therapist and an individualized exercise plan. However, if the injury is left untreated in its instability, it puts the ankle at risk for future injuries such as another tear, strain/sprain, or even a fracture. As a result of this, the first step to treatment will be a proper rehabilitation program with guidance from a health professional.
How is chronic instability treated?
Physical Therapists are the first step in the conservative management of chronic ankle instability. Due to loss of strength and proprioception, rehabilitation is very important. They perform a complete assessment of your ankle range of motion, strength, and balance assessing for any laxity or abnormalities, and guide you through the management.
Exercises re-strengthen the muscles, increase ankle stability and balance, and retrain the body awareness of the ankle. Moreover, Brace and/or taping may be recommended to support the stabilization of the ankle, especially for individuals who are engaged in high-risk activities like sports.
Finally, where conservative options are failing and the instability continues to be persistent, surgery may be an option. These surgical options usually involve repair or reconstruction of lax ligaments, or a tightening of the capsule around the ankle joint.
What happens if your ankle sprain and injury are left untreated?
Unfortunately, the instability may worsen over time and you will have a much greater risk of reoccurring injuries. In addition, it results in damage to the bones and cartilage within your ankle joint as the muscles weaken and fail to sufficiently support the joint. Therefore, it is highly recommended that you seek treatment from an expert to treat the issue before it results in a severe injury.
If you are having any instability or weakness with your ankle, which is stopping you from pursuing any hobbies, book with PhysioNow today for an initial assessment and treatment. We have a team of highly qualified Physical Therapists that will be able to help your ankle recover!
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