If you play any kind of sport that involves running around or jumping, chances are that you might have injured your ankle. Rolled ankles and ankle sprains are common injuries that can affect people that play these sorts of sports, and unfortunately, these injuries can have long recovery periods.
Recovering from various ankle injuries might require you to undergo rehabilitation, physiotherapy or even surgery.
The most common ankle injury is an ankle sprain, and these can have various levels of severity and can affect various areas of the ankle.
Today, we want to focus on a high ankle sprain, which is also known as a syndesmosis injury. So, keep reading to find out what you need to know about high ankle sprains.
What exactly is a syndesmosis injury?
This kind of ankle sprain is referred to as a high ankle sprain because it involves the ligament and soft tissue that keeps the tibia and fibula in alignment and together in the lower leg. The tibia and fibula are the two bones of the lower leg.
A syndesmosis injury can lead to feelings of instability and weakness in the ankle and lower leg area, as well as ligament damage to the ligaments at the ankle.
This kind of ankle sprain can even lead to fractures in either or both of the leg bones as well.
How do syndesmosis injuries happen?
The cause of a high ankle sprain (syndesmosis injury) is usually due to excessive force or pressure being applied to an area of the leg when the foot is firmly on the ground.
It commonly occurs to people who are playing contact sports where collisions can happen, though a really bad ankle sprain can result in a syndesmosis injury.
Does a syndesmosis injury hurt?
The simple answer is yes. While the severity of the pain will depend on the person and extent of the injury, most people who experience this kind of injury say that they feel pain in the lower leg and slightly above the ankle.
Rest is unfortunately not often enough to relieve the pain as it will linger and feel like a dull ache in a lot of cases.
The injury can be extremely frustrating as most people feel a weakness in the ankle and like it can’t support them, so it is difficult to move around.
Though compared to other types of ankle sprains, there is a lot less swelling that is experienced in this kind of injury.
Who gets syndesmosis injuries?
It’s rare that a syndesmosis injury occurs outside of sports. It is more likely to affect people who play sports like football, rugby, basketball, netball and hockey.
This kind of ankle sprain is a lot rarer than other ankle sprains and usually doesn’t affect people who are playing solo sports or running and jogging.
How are syndesmosis injuries treated?
If you experience any kind of ankle injury – whether it’s a syndesmosis injury or not – it’s important to seek help as soon as possible. The sooner the injury is diagnosed and treatment can begin, the more successful the recovery is likely to be.
A syndesmosis injury is a serious injury that a podiatrist can help you to recover from.
Depending on the severity of your injury, as well as your injury and health history, there are a number of ways a syndesmosis injury may be treated, including:
– Strengthening programs – though all syndesmosis injuries are serious, you may be one of the lucky ones where recovery will mainly involve strengthening exercises. The exercises will often involve a range of motion movements as well as strengthening exercises to build up strength in the feet, legs and ankles as well as at the injury site too.
– Ankle taping and braces – as part of your recovery process, you might be required to consider kt taping your ankle or bracing it to provide extra support. This is particularly common when you’re getting back into sport and exercise.
– Moon Boots – you may need to wear a moonboot as part of your recovery as they help to shift your bodyweight so that it isn’t fully on the injured area. It gives your body a chance to recover with less pressure, and also allows you to be mobile.
– Orthotics – you may be required to use orthotics to help with the alignment of your ankles and leg bones. Orthotics can be customized to suit your body and needs.
– Surgery – as the alignment of your leg bones can be seriously affected in a syndesmosis injury, surgery can be common. It is usually done to help ensure the bones are in proper alignment.
What should I do if I hurt my ankle?
Whether you’ve suffered a syndesmosis injury or rolled your ankle, your best bet is to see a podiatrist to diagnose the condition accurately and start treatment right away. If you need to see a podiatrist in Melbourne’s North East suburbs, you can book an appointment with a podiatrist online at Watsonia Podiatry. They have extensive experience in helping people recover from all sorts of conditions that can affect their feet and/or lower limbs, including syndesmosis injuries. Take care of your feet and ankles today!