What Are The 3 Types of Ankle Sprains?
When your ankle suddenly gives, you might think you just sustained an ankle sprain. However, Stavros O. Alexopoulos, DPM, would like to know which type of ankle sprain. From a podiatric perspective, the direction your foot turned and which ligaments took the hit make a huge difference in how you’ll recover. Here are the three main types of ankle sprains and what to look out for.
The Inversion Sprain
If you’ve rolled your ankle, there is a high chance it was an inversion sprain. This happens when your foot rolls inward and puts all the stress on the outside of your ankle. You are likely to feel the pain right on that bony bump on the outer side.
When you do this, you are stretching or tearing the lateral ligaments, specifically the Anterior Talofibular Ligament. This is the weakest link in your ankle’s defense.
You’ll know you’ve done this if you see swelling and bruising on the outside of your foot. While it’s the most common, it’s also the one most likely to become a chronic issue if you don’t let it heal properly, as it can leave your ankle feeling loose.
The Eversion Sprain
On the flip side, we have the eversion sprain. This happens when your foot rolls outward and stretches the ligaments on the inside of your ankle. This is much less common because the ligaments on the inside, aka the Deltoid Ligaments, are incredibly thick and strong.
If you have managed to pull this off, you’ve likely put a great amount of force through the joint. Because it takes so much power to damage the deltoid ligament, podiatrists often look closer at these injuries to make sure there isn’t a hidden fracture in the fibula.
If you’re feeling pain on the inner arch side after a twist, there’s a chance you’ve injured your ankles in other ways as well.
The High Ankle Sprain
You’ve probably heard this term while watching NFL or NBA injury reports. A high ankle sprain is a different beast entirely, as it doesn’t involve the ligaments around the bump of your ankle. Instead, it consists of the syndesmosis, which is the tough tissue that holds your two leg bones together just above the joint.
This usually happens when your foot is planted, and your leg is forced to rotate outward.
A high ankle sprain is a frustrating injury because it makes the entire socket of your ankle unstable. For you, this means a much longer recovery time.
While a normal low sprain might feel better in a week or two, a high ankle sprain can keep you sidelined for months because every time you take a step, your leg bones want to splay apart.
For any questions about foot health and wellness, reach out to the tenured staff at My Chicago Foot Expert by calling (773) 561-8100 or by clicking here to schedule an appointment with Cook County podiatrist Stavros O. Alexopoulos, DPM, in our modern, comfortable Ravenswood office today.
