The common ankle sprain is an inversion ankle sprain. The ankle turns inwards, resulting in structure on the outer side of the ankle to pull and strain. The muscle that strains during an inversion ankle sprain is the peroneus longus. This muscle travels underneath your lateral malleolus (the big bone on the outside of your ankle) and attaches to your big toe. This muscle also acts as an arch support.
How do I know if I have it?
Below are the signs and symptoms that may be associated with this injury, but not all injuries follow the textbook description.
Signs:
- Swelling on the outside of your ankle
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- Bruising on the outside of your ankle
Symptoms
- Pain on the outside of your ankle
- Pain with placing ankle in down and in
- Feeling of an unstable ankle
- Low to moderate level of pain
What causes it?
There is a wide variety of causes to this injury including, but not limited to:
- Stepping off of an uneven surface
- Improper footwear
- Weak arch
- Landing after jumping
- Multiple sports related mechanisms (tripping, planting and twisting)
What do I do to fix this?
Every person is different. This is why you should book an appointment to see what the cause is to determine an effective treatment.
Orthopedic Exam should consist of:
- Manual muscle test
- Reflex test
-
Passive range of motion testing
- Navicular Drop test
- Checking bottom of shoes for wear pattern
Treatment may consist off:
- Rockfloss
- Ankle taping and support
- Kinesiotaping
- Ankle Manipulation
- Calf Rollout
- Arch Taping
- Myofascial Release on Peroneus longus
Treatment should cover above and below the ankle and focus in the progression of: pain relief, reduce swelling, support injury with taping–>improve range of motion, improve strength–>improve stability, improve reaction time (plyometrics).