Feet Care: High Ankle Sprain

Broken ligaments which connect the tibia and fibula cause high ankle sprain, also called syndesmotic ankle sprain. Syndesmotic ligaments are torn when they are overly stretched. High ankle sprain usually results from sports or while doing strenuous exercise. In the case of high ankle sprain, the ligamets and tendons are actually torn unlike in ordinary sprain where the ligaments and tendons are stretched. Twisting outwards of the ankle and foot can cause high ankle sprain.

Responsible for the correct placement of the joint of the ankle are the syndesmotic ligaments. They keep the ankle joint in its proper position. Compared to ankle sprains, high ankle sprain occurs less, yet they have almost the same symptoms.

Sprains are normally characterized by extreme pain. Ankle sprain can cause extreme pain and the pain gets worse when pressure is applied on the injured foot, thus, walking can be very painful. Blood vessels also gets torn when a person experience ankle sprain, thus, bruises can be seen and is one of the common symptoms.

When the ligaments are torn, swelling occurs. The affected foot gets inflamed and the inflammation differs on the degree of the injury. High ankle sprain can cause walking or moving around to become difficult because the normal structure of the foot was disrupted.

High ankle sprain varies in three degrees depending on how severe the injury was. Before any kind of treatment, the doctor will first examine the affected foot for fractures and also to know how severe was the torn of ligaments. Pain killers and anti-inflammatory drugs can be given to the patient once the case is diagnosed. The best recommended treatment for sprain is PRICE or Protect, Rest, Ice Compress and Elevation. In the case of third degree high ankle sprain, the doctor might recommend operation to return the bones in their proper places and bed rest is advised after the operation. The doctor may also refer the patient to a physiotherapist for pain management.

Recovery from high ankle sprain varies on how severe the sprain is and how well the patient responds to the treatment. As they always say, prevention is better than cure. Thus, it is best to prevent getting high ankle sprain by avoiding over stressing the feet and exaggerating tasks and exercises.