Summer is the Season for Ankle Injuries

Ankle Sprains are Top Among Summer Ankle Injuries!
Here at American Foot & Leg Specialists, ankle sprains are a sure sign that warmer weather has arrived! Now that summer is in full bloom, more of us are getting outside and making the most of everything that Atlanta and surrounding communities have to offer. According to the American Academy of Family Physicians (AAFP), “ankle injury is one of the most common musculoskeletal injuries in athletes and sedentary persons, accounting for an estimated 2 million injuries per year and 20 percent of all sports injuries in the United States.”

What is a Sprained Ankle?

An ankle sprain is an injury to one or more ligaments in the ankle. Ligaments are bands of tough, fibrous and flexible tissue that connect two bones or hold a joint together. The lateral ligaments on the outside of your ankle provide stability by restricting wobbly, side-to-side movement. these ligaments are most commonly sprained. You can also sprain the medial ligaments, which are on the inside of your ankle. An ankle sprain is a stretching or tearing of one or both of these ligaments.

Some ankle sprains are worse than others. Severity depends on whether the ligament is simply stretched, partially or completely torn, and on how many ligaments are injured. In the most severe cases, a piece of bone may break off or fracture, as well.

 

In this video, Dr. Jeffrey Flash explains that a sprained ankle can be easy to diagnose but sometime difficult to treat. The reason is because you can’t actually see the affected ligament without an MRI.

He goes on to explain that cigarette smoking contains nicotine which is a vascular constrictor which causes the artery to become narrower. In addition, smoking causes hardening of the artery. Therefore, it causes the blood not to flow very well to your feet and legs.

Diabetes is another major cause of peripheral arterial disease because high glucose levels in your blood creates damage in the vessel wall with build up of plaque. Peripheral arterial disease (PAD) happens when this buildup on the walls of blood vessels causes them to narrow. It commonly affects people with type 2 diabetes, who are also prone to high cholesterol and heart disease.

 

Podiatrist, Dr. Jeffrey Flash, Explains His Approach to Treating a Sprained Ankle

Dr. Flash says he sees lots of ankle injuries and is actually one of his specialities. His first approach to treatment is taking a conservative approach: Rest Ice – immediately after and every 2 to 3 hours Wrapping with an elastic bandage. Elevation of foot In most instances, a grade one sprained ankle will heal in 7 to 14 days.

The conservative treatment will work in about 85% of sprained ankle cases. However, some sprains may become chronic and surgery may become necessary.

American Foot and Leg Specialists treat all types of foot and ankle conditions such as Heel Pain, Plantar Fasciitis, Achilles Tendonitis, as well as sprained ankles.

You can expect to receive excellent care of any of your painful foot and ankle conditions at one of our 4 locations: Forest Park, Stockbridge, Locust Grove or Fayetteville.