Image Credit: Murdoch Orthopaedic Clinic
The ankle, as a joint, is a very complex mechanism. There are three joints within the ankle itself, held together by tissues and muscles which facilitate the stability of the joint. Through a series of stresses and strains or pushes and/or pulls, the joint facilitates movement of the body. As one of the weakest points in the body, the ankle is susceptible to a multitude of injuries, making ankle injuries one of the most common that are experienced.
For this reason, therapies such as ankle reconstruction involving minimally invasive surgical procedures are commonly used to rapidly restore the functionality of the joint once there is a persistent injury. Since mobility is critical to the well-being and livelihood of patients, particularly athletic patients, rapid recovery is a critical parameter that is involved in patient care. Orthopaedic surgeons, have successfully managed to optimise the turn-around time between surgery and recovery.
Surgical methods, such as the Rapid Broström Rehabilitation Protocol, have been developed in order to facilitate an accelerated recovery. The surgical details are such that the process involves no plasters at the end of the procedure and patients are less dependent on a post-operative boot. Compared to other procedures aiming to treat ankle injuries, the time to ankle function (full functionality) has been halved.
When to approach your Doctor
The most common reported sporting injuries are lateral ligament sprains. With foot pain, it is usually easy to ignore a condition, when one suspects that they have a sprain or strain. Usually patients utilise patches such as foot braces or bands, in the hope that the foot will heal itself with reduced mobility. While home remedies can be effective, it is important to visit a local foot and ankle surgeon, if the condition is bordering on chronic.
As the prevalence of ankle instability related illnesses persist, treatment of the condition will facilitate better health overall and improvement in the alignment of the spine, as better weight distribution will be facilitated in the body.
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