During the spring, many professional sports teams are at the highest levels of competition. The NBA playoffs, the NHL playoffs and the inauguration of the baseball season are all happening at the same time. This is not only a very exciting time for me, but also for many fans all around the country.
While competing at these high level sporting activities, an injury can be devastating not only to the player, but also to the team involved. The ankle sprain can be one such event that can debilitate a player, anywhere from a minimum of 4 weeks, to a maximum of 6 months to a year depending on the severity of injury. In the worse case, it is even possible that the player might not be able to return to the sport.
It is essential to promptly evaluate an ankle sprain for effective management. The initial studies should include a comprehensive physical exam to assess a fracture, dislocation, and ligament or tendon damage. Many professional sports team will immediately go to an MRI to aid in diagnostic evaluation. Alas, in real life it is not practical to get an MRI every time someone sprains an ankle. At our office, we use other diagnostic tools such as digital x-ray’s and diagnostic ultrasound to evaluate for ligament or tendon damage.
The treatment rendered will depend on the severity of the ankle sprain. The American College of Foot & Ankle Surgeons grades ankle sprains on a Grade I-IV. At our office, I see ankle sprains quite often, ranging at different grades. Amazingly, greater than 90% of our patients are treated conservatively without surgical intervention. Again, I feel the key to proper management is early diagnosis and treatment. The longer the treatment is delayed the more chances for long term instability.
By Dr. Varun (Ben) Gujral
Tags: ankle pain, ankle sprain, Ankle Sprains, athlete, athletes, foot injuries, foot pain, fractures, sports, sports injuries, sports injury, torn ligaments
