Sports Medicine Moment: Common Ankle Injuries – High Ankle Sprain

Sports Medicine Moment: Common Ankle Injuries – High Ankle Sprain

Written by: Tristen Robinson

Tristen Robinson, M.S., ATC, LAT is a BUZZ Gear Up Blogger and an instructor at Andrew Jackson High School, for the sports medicine magnet program. Checkout the program’s Facebook page at Andrew Jackson High School Sports Medicine. https://www.Facebook.com/Jacksonsportsmed/

 

If you’ve ever watched sports, you may have heard the term high ankle sprain. When I first heard it, I thought, how could you have a high ankle sprain? What is that? I didn’t know there was a high and a low ankle lol. Years later, while studying athletic training in undergrad, I learned the true definition.

To keep it as simple as possible, there are four bones that make up the ankle; the tibia, fibula, talus, and calcaneus essentially. There are numerous ligaments that connect any two of those bones together. Two of those bones: tibia and fibula, are the bony prominences people point to when referring to their ankle. The tibia is the bone on the medial or inside of the ankle and the fibula is on the lateral or outside bone of the ankle. The ligaments that connect the tibia and fibula together are generally what’s damaged in a high ankle sprain.

A high ankle sprain occurs when there is excessive dorsiflexion (bringing your foot/toes toward your nose) and eversion (foot/toes move outward, opposite as inversion). It can also result from a twisting or rotational mechanism, while the foot is planted. Athletes who suffer a high ankle sprain complain of pain just below the lower leg, in front of the ankle; generally in-between the tibia and fibula. There will also be pain with walking and running accompanied by swelling.

If you suspect a high ankle sprain has occurred, first aid treatment would consist of immobilizing the bones above and below the ankle joint; basically, treating it as fracture. Then of course, transport to an appropriate healthcare professional. P.R.I.C.E. would be administered as often as possible. After the first 3 days the injury occurred, therapeutic rehab exercises may be needed to return to full ankle capacity. In general, high ankle sprains generally take longer than lateral ankle sprains to heal; approaching six to seven weeks. However, like with most injuries, proper care and treatment will have you saying and “Bye” to that high ankle sprain in no time. I know, that was corny…don’t judge me.

 

This has been your sports medicine moment…