Ankle Ligament Injury

What exactly happens in a ligament ankle injury? Well, the ankle joint is held together by a number of ligaments. A ligament is an elastic structure, similar to a rubber band- they can stretch a certain length and then return to their normal position. They protect the ankle joint from abnormal movements- especially twisting, turning, and rolling of the foot. They are like the glue that holds all the bones of the joint together properly.

When you take a bad step, trip or even step on someone else's foot, your ankle can get twisted laterally (to the side). The twisting can damage the ligaments in the ankle, causing a sprain. The ligaments can either stretch (Grade I ankle sprain), partially tear (Grade II ankle sprain) or completely rupture (Grade III ankle sprain).

Ankle ligament injuries happen to people of all ages: children, teenagers, adults and the elderly. Lateral ankle injuries are extremely common in sports and in life. There are over 25,000 a day! Depending on how bad the injury is to your ankle, you may be unable to walk for days or even weeks. More severe sprains can take many months to heal.

Because, these types of sprains are so common, it is important to understand the two main kinds of treatment options. Once is known as R.I.C.E. (Rest, Ice, Compression, Elevation), while the other is known as H.E.M. (Hydrotherapy, Exercise, Massage). R.I.C.E. is considered a very non-active kind of treatment. You basically just rest and ice the ankle. H.E.M. is a much more proactive kind of rehab treatment that has the person doing simple healing techniques that have been clinically shown to be very effective. Although, R.I.C.E. is more conventional and well known, we believe that H.E.M. is most likely a better rehab treatment for the ankle. Learn why...