What this area covers
Ankle injuries happen in almost every sport, and they are also among the most commonly under-treated. A sprain that never fully healed can leave the ankle feeling loose or sore months later. Dr. Brash has published on ankle arthroscopy and on the assessment of ankle sprains, and he treats both fresh injuries and old ones that never settled down.
Typical non-surgical options
Most ankle sprains improve with a short period of protection followed by balance and strength training. Achilles problems often respond to a specific loading program, a heel lift, and changes in footwear or training volume.
Typical surgical options
Surgery may involve ligament reconstruction for an ankle that keeps giving way, ankle arthroscopy to address cartilage damage or scar tissue, Achilles repair, and fixation of fractures for athletes who need a stable, precisely aligned ankle.
What recovery generally looks like
Expect a boot for several weeks after most ankle surgery, followed by therapy that rebuilds balance as well as strength. Achilles recovery is longer and is staged carefully, because the tendon needs time before it can take full load.
Conditions treated
Plain-language descriptions of what each problem is and what treatment usually involves.
Ankle injuries are common, and the ones that cause long-term trouble are usually the ones that were never rehabilitated properly.
Ankle Sprain and Chronic Instability
An ankle sprain stretches or tears the ligaments on the outside of the ankle, usually when the foot rolls inward. Most heal well, but if balance and strength are never rebuilt the ankle can stay loose and give way on uneven ground. Persistent instability is treated with therapy first and with ligament reconstruction when it continues.
Achilles Tendinitis and Rupture
The Achilles tendon connects the calf muscles to the heel and absorbs very high loads with running and jumping. It can become painful and thickened from overuse, or rupture suddenly, often with a pop and immediate difficulty pushing off. Tendinitis is treated with a loading program and footwear changes, while ruptures are treated in a boot or with surgical repair depending on the patient.
Osteochondral Lesions of the Talus
These are areas of damaged cartilage and underlying bone on the dome of the ankle joint, often following a bad sprain or a fracture. They cause deep ankle pain, swelling after activity, and sometimes catching. Small lesions may be watched or treated with arthroscopy, while larger ones may need a cartilage restoration procedure.
Athletic Ankle Fracture
Ankle fractures in athletes range from a small avulsion to unstable breaks involving the fibula, the tibia, and the ligaments between them. Stability, alignment, and the condition of the joint surface matter far more than the size of the fracture on an X-ray. Some are treated in a boot, while others need fixation to restore the joint precisely.
The information on this website is provided for general educational purposes only. It is not medical advice, and reading it does not create a doctor-patient relationship. Call your physician or 911 for medical concerns.