Lateral ankle sprains: a comprehensive review Part 1: etiology, pathoanatomy, histopathogenesis, and diagnosis

Abstract

Ankle sprains are among the most common injuries sustained by athletes and seen by sports medicine physicians. Despite their prevalence in society, ankle sprains still remain a difficult diagnostic and therapeutic challenge in the athlete, as well as in society in general. The purpose of this section of our two-part study is to review scope of the problem, the anatomy and biomechanics of the lateral ankle ligaments, review the pathoanatomical correlates of lateral ankle sprains, the histopathogenesis of ligament healing, and define the mechanisms of injury to understand the basis of our diagnostic approach to the patient with this common acute and chronic injury. We extensively review the diagnostic evaluation including historical information and physical examination, as well as options for supplementary radiographic examination. We further discuss the differential diagnosis of the patient with recurrent instability symptoms. This will also serve as the foundation for part two of our study, which is to understand the rationale for our treatment approach for this common problem.

The Impact of Chiropractic Manipulative Therapy on Chronic Recurrent Lateral Ankle Sprain Syndrome in Two Young Athletes

“…17,18 The medial ligament complex, interosseous talocalcaneal, cervical and deltoid ligaments can also be affected with inversion sprains. 19 While functional instability patients may present with mechanical instability, it is most common that the previously sprained ankle or the functionally unstable ankle has no ligament laxity. 20,21 In these cases, the instability is considered to be a functional instability, a term first coined by Freeman in 1965.…”

Economic Evaluation of a Soft Ankle Brace Compared to Tape in Acute Lateral Ankle Ligamentous Sprains

“…These high direct healthcare costs are the result of medical consumption, (sometimes longstanding) rehabilitation [6,7], persistent residual symptoms [6][7][8] and high recurrence rates [6,9,10].…”

Efeito imediato da manipulação osteopática tibiotársica no equilíbrio estático de mulheres jovens

“…As mais comuns estão presentes na articulação tíbio-társica, acometendo ligamentos e estruturas laterais desta articulação, o que leva à incapacidade residual e sensação de instabilidade (SAFRAN et al, 1999;KYNSBURG et al, 2006). Nesse contexto, a fisioterapia apresenta papel importante na restauração das capacidades funcionais perdidas, por meio de técnicas diferenciadas, como a manipulação articular, que promove a reprogramação dos receptores corporais, contribuindo para a restauração do equilíbrio e da postura (KESKULA et al, 1996;SAAD et al, 1997), principalmente quando há hipomobilidade articular envolvida, sendo que 10% das indicações para manipulações ocorrem em membros inferiores (BRANTINGHAM et al, 2009).…”