Chronic Ankle Instability – Symptoms, Diagnosis, And Treatment

What Is Chronic Ankle Instability?  
Chronic ankle instability is a medical condition in which the ankle may become weak and repeatedly ‘gives away’ upon movement. This damage can affect the postural control, strength, flexibility, muscle reaction time, and proprioception of the ankle joint, ultimately leading to instability in chronic ankles.    

Symptoms of Chronic or Acute Ankle Instability 
The most common symptoms may include:  

• Pain and swelling in the ankle. 
• Tenderness in the ankle.  
• A repeated turning of the ankle joint, especially on uneven surfaces. 
• Chronic discomfort in the ankle.  

 

How to Diagnose Instability in the Ankle? 
Effective treatment for this condition depends on the accurate diagnosis of the disease. Your specialist may conduct tests to determine whether:  

• You are suffering from ligament damage or bone damage.
• Mechanical ankle instability.
• Ligament damage will require treatment for the ligaments.  
• Functional ankle instability.
• The muscle damage will require treatment for the muscles.  

 

Your specialist may conduct an X-Ray, MRI, and even a CT scan to accurately diagnose your condition. Other tests may include:  

• Anterior drawer test. 
• Talar tilt test.
• Modified Romberg test. 

 

Treatment for Chronic Ankle Instability  
If a Grade 1 or Grade 2 injury has been diagnosed, the doctor will initially prescribe conservative therapies. Hairline fractures, strains, and partial tears of the ankle bone’s ligament and muscles can be treated successfully with non-surgical treatments. The available treatment options may include:  

• RICE protocol. 
• Ankle immobilization using ankle braces or protective footwear.
• Physical therapy exercises to strengthen ligaments, increase postural controls, proprioception, and muscle strength. 
• Pain medications.
• Non-Steroidal Anti-Inflammatory drugs. 
• Steroid injections.
• In some cases, the injury may not respond to non-surgical treatments. If the damage has not been healed after a suitable time, the surgeon may recommend surgery. 

 

Surgery for Ankle Instability 
The surgery of the lateral ankle is a preferred treatment for grade 3 injury. The ankle’s ligament is completely torn in this injury type, which can cause functional deficits.  

The tendons of the ankle can also be damaged, which may also require surgical repair or restructuring. The surgical procedure depends on the injury of the ligament, tendon, muscle, or bone. The standard surgical techniques for treating chronic ankle instability are:  

• An anatomic repair (Brostrom procedure) for ligaments. 
• Arthroscopic ligament repair and reconstruction surgery. 
• Ankle fracture repair surgery. 

 

Schedule an appointment with one of the best orthopedic surgeons today to get rid of your pain.