What causes inversion of the ankle?
What causes inversion of the ankle?
How does it happen? The lateral ligaments of your ankle are put on stress if your foot rolls inwards. The inwards rolling of your foot will put the ligaments on the outside of your ankle on stretch and possibly cause them to tear.
What happens when you invert your ankle?
In an inversion injury the ankle tilts toward the inside, meaning the bottom of the foot tilts inward towards the big toe side of the foot. This forces all the weight of your body onto the outside edge of the ankle. As a result, the ligaments on the outside of the ankle are stretched and possibly torn.
What injuries can occur as a result of an inversion of the ankle?
The lateral ligaments are involved in an inversion ankle sprain and hence most commonly damaged. These ligaments are on the outside of the ankle, which includes the anterior talofibular (ATFL), calcaneofibular (CFL) and posterior talofibular ligaments (PTFL). Injury to the ATFL is the most common.
What nerves are in the ankle?
Your tibial nerve branches off of the sciatic nerve and is found near your ankle. The tibial nerve runs through the tarsal tunnel, which is a narrow passageway inside your ankle that is bound by bone and soft tissue.
How long does an inversion ankle sprain take to heal?
Most ankle sprains are mild and only need ice and elevation. Mild sprains typically begin to feel better in a few days to a week and heal by six weeks. More severe ankle sprains could take more than a few weeks or months to fully recover. Severe sprains may cause excruciating pain, crutches may be needed.
How do you treat an inversion sprained ankle?
Home Treatments
- Rest your ankle by not walking on it.
- Ice should be immediately applied to keep the swelling down.
- Compression dressings, bandages or ace-wraps will immobilize and support your injured ankle.
- Elevate your ankle above the level of your heart as often as possible during the first 48 hours.
How long does an inversion sprain take to heal?
| Grades of ankle sprain severity | ||
|---|---|---|
| Severity | Damage to ligaments | Recovery time |
| Grade 1 | Minimal stretching, no tearing | 1–3 weeks |
| Grade 2 | Partial tear | 3–6 weeks |
| Grade 3 | Full tear or rupture | Up to several months |
Why does my ankle still hurt after 6 months?
“An ankle sprain that lingers beyond 3 months is often an injury to a bone, tendon or ligament that is unlikely to heal without intervention,” he says. “And the longer an ankle injury persists without proper treatment, the greater the likelihood that permanent disability will result.”
