If you have yet to experience an injury to your ankle, rest assured that at some point in your life you will suffer from an ankle sprain or strain, and probably several. These injuries are among the most common treated by podiatrists, yet some people make the mistake of trying to treat a more serious injury with inadequate care. Ankle injuries can be hard to treat and take a long time to properly heal so seeing your foot care professional is the best way to avoid any chronic complications in the future.
Improperly treated twists and sprains that occurred many months ago can come back to haunt you and create chronic ankle problems. These problems include:
- Ankle joint instability—When you sprain your ankle, the tendons and ligaments will become stretched and the ankle joint will be floppy. After the initial injury has healed, you have to slowly strengthen the ankle over a period of months with gradually increasing intensity to prevent avoid another injury. Multiple ankle injuries that don’t heal properly in between accidents can cause chronic ankle instability that may only be correctable with surgery.
- Extreme stiffness and difficulty bending—Ankle injuries that don’t heal properly will restrict the full range of motion of your ankle joint, causing pain and stiffness when you try to walk on it. Changing the way you walk to accommodate the injury and decrease the pain of walking can have the unintended effect of putting your knees, hips, and back out of proper alignment. This will create additional pain and discomfort.
An old ankle injury requires implementation of a variety of physical therapy exercises and other techniques that you can discuss with your foot doctor. Dr. Scott Nelson of Foot and Ankle Medical Clinic in Garland, TX, is a board-certified and highly experienced podiatrist who has helped people suffering from all types of foot and ankle injuries and deformities. From bunions to diabetic foot problems, sports injuries and fungal nails, you can trust that Dr. Nelson and his staff are wholeheartedly devoted to your foot health. Please contact our office with any questions you may have or to schedule an appointment by calling 972-414-9800.