Chronic ankle instability (CAI) is an unfortunate reality for many individuals who end up damaging their supportive ankle ligaments following a sprain. CAI is one of the most common conditions Dr. Silverman worked to address during his time running his private practice in Minnesota, and he’s noticed it’s also a common issue down here in the greater Atlanta area. But just how common is chronic ankle instability after an ankle sprain, and how can you reduce your likelihood of developing the condition? We explore those answers in today’s blog.
How Common Is Ankle Instability After A Sprain?
The development of ankle instability following a sprain is more common than most people realize. Although estimates vary, the general consensus is that roughly 25 percent of individuals will develop at least a mild form of CAI in the wake of an ankle sprain. That means for every four people who sprain their ankle, one can expect to develop chronic instability and general weakness in the ankle. Considering tens of thousands of Americans sprain their ankle every single day, that means thousands of Americans find that they are now dealing with a long-term ankle issue following what they originally perceived to be a mild ankle sprain.
Fortunately, there are a few things you can do to greatly reduce your risk of becoming another statistic after spraining your ankle. In fact, simply being just a little proactive can have a major impact on your CAI likelihood. Taking a few simple steps can provide the right environment for your supportive ankle ligaments to heal and eventually strengthen so that they can get back to providing a pre-injury level of stability to the ankle complex. Those treatments include:
Rest – First and foremost, protect the ligaments from further damage by resting or limiting stress on the ankle for the first 24-72 hours after the injury. You may need to rest even longer depending on the severity of your sprain, but the goal here is to avoid doing further damage to the ankle ligaments.
Physical Therapy/Exercise – Studies have found that physical therapy or targeted exercises are the single best thing you can do to strengthen injured ankle ligaments and prevent the onset of chronic ankle instability following a sprain. You can find some generic exercises on the internet, or you can connect with an ankle specialist or a physical therapist to get set up with a personalized recovery program. A couple weeks of physical therapy can greatly reduce your risk of long-term instability issues after a sprain.
Bracing/Anti-Inflammatories – Finally, anti-inflammatory medication and a supportive brace can help to provide an improved environment for healing, but these are not active treatments like exercise or physical therapy, so they shouldn’t be the only treatments you pursue. Many people find that bracing and anti-inflammatories can help to control swelling, tenderness and pain that may inhibit your ability to effectively pursue physical therapy or other active recovery techniques.
Simply put, if you are proactive in your approach to preventing chronic ankle instability, we’re confident that you’ll be able to avoid developing long-term instability following a sprain. And if conservative care does fail to provide you with the level of relief you seek, Dr. Silverman can provide some individualized hands-on care to restore strength and function to these damaged ligaments.
For more information, reach out to Dr. Silverman by filling out this contact form.