Ankle Sprains and Related Pain

Twisting injuries of the ankle are very common affecting most people in their lifetime. These lead to partial tearing usually of the outside ligaments of the ankle and cause pain, swelling & difficulty in walking for a few days to weeks depending on the severity of the injury. Many cases settle down with a period of rest, icing & splintage, but occasionally pain & giving way continues beyond 1-2 months. Symptoms can often be improved with physiotherapy & ankle supports, but occasionally problems persist interfering with the return to normal activities. This can be explained by unrecognized injuries to tendons or the ankle joint surfaces, which may require further investigations with modern imaging techniques such as ultrasound and magnetic resonance scanning (MRI). Arthroscopic (keyhole) surgery may be helpful to remove scar tissue, spurs and loose bodies and deal with localized damage to the ankle joint surface. Ligament repair procedures are useful to stabilize the ankle & improve instability & giving way episodes.

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