Ankle Sprains Overview Essay

When you sprain and ankle the ligaments in the ankle stretch more than naturally intended and tear. “Sprained ankles are the most common type of musculoskeletal injury”-https://www.emedicinehealth.com. The ankle is made up of three bones the tibia is the major bone in the ankle and it hold most of the bodies weight. The fibula is the smallest bone in the ankle and the final bone is the talus which is the bone on the top of the foot. Stress on the ligaments causes them to stretch or tear. You can sprain an ankle by landing on the side of your foot when you jump or run, stepping on a not flat surface like stepping in a pothole or in sports when

2 Use your opposite hand to pull the top of your foot and toes toward you. You should feel a gentle stretch on the top of your foot and your ankle.

The left metatarsophalangeal and interphalangeal (great and lesser toes) joints are held at slight flexion pressed against the ground by a concentric contraction of the flexor halluces longus, flexor digitorum longus, flexor digitorum longus. The left talocrural (ankle) is plantar flexed using a concentric contraction of the gastrocnemius and the soleus. The right talocrural (ankle) is plantar flexed by a concentric contraction of the tibialis anterior, extensor digitorum longus, peroneus tertius. The left tibiofermoral (knee) joints are being extended by a concentric contraction of the quadriceps muscles (rectus femoris, vastus lateralis, vastus medialis, vastus intermedius). The right metatarsophalangeal and interphalangeal (great and lesser toes) are being held plantar flexed due to an isometric contraction of the flexor halluces longus, flexor digtorum longus. The right tibiofermoral (knee) joints are flexed at a 90-degree angle by a concentric contraction of the biceps femoris, semitendinous, semimembranosus. During this phase the left acetabular fermoral (hip) joint is flexed due to an eccentric contraction of the rectus femoris, pectineus, iliacus, and psoas. The right acetabular fermoral (hip) joint is at slight extension due to a concentric contraction of the biceps femoris, semitendinosus, semimembranosus, and the gluteus

Grade 1: This grade is where the ankle will be tender and swelling may occur however the ligaments will not be torn however there may be little tear.

Common type of sprains would be in the ankle and in the wrist. The ankle is one of the most common injuries in professional and recreational sports and activities. Most ankle sprains happen when the foot abruptly turns inward or outward as an athlete runs, turns, falls, or lands after a jump. One or more of the lateral ligaments can be injured if this occurs. Wrists are often sprained after a fall in which the athlete lands on an outstretched hand.

Mild ankle left sprain is an injury to the bands of ligaments that surrounds and connects the bone of the leg to the foot. It occurs when the foot suddenly twists or rolls that will force the ankle joint out of its normal position.

Torsion Injuries are caused by the feet being in a fixed position and the body being twisted. These types of injuries are most common in football.

This short and round ligament, like all other ligaments, prevents slippage within the joint and allows the joint to properly pivot when performing an action (Duff 300). Without this particular ligament, the knees would be fragile and more susceptible to injury. Therefore, it would be impossible to do the simplest movements that are done by humans everyday, like walking and even sitting. This is one reason why many athletes should be aware of the physical indications that arise if they have torn their ACL while participating in athletic activities.

The Anterior Cruciate Ligament also known as the ACL is deemed the most commonly torn ligament in the knee and can result from both contact and noncontact injuries. Most Anterior Cruciate Ligament injuries result from an extreme force on the lateral side of the person’s knee causing a valgus force which pushes the knee inward (Kisner & Colby, 2012, pp. 802-803). This injury to the side of the knee can also cause a “Terrible Triad” injury which also injures both the medial meniscus and the medial collateral ligament (Kisner & Colby, 2012, p. 803). Our textbook further states that “the most common noncontact mechanism is a rotational mechanism in which the tibia is externally rotated on the planted foot….this mechanism can account for as many as 78% of all ACL injuries” (Kisner & Colby, 2012, p. 803). If the person does not seek medical help with this injury they are susceptible to also injuring the remaining support ligaments as well. Patients usually present with joint effusion; possibly 25 degrees of flexion, joint swelling if blood vessels are involved, limited ROM, stress pain and instability along with quads avoidance gait patterns (Kisner & Colby, 2011, p. 208)

The main bone of the ankle is the talus which is the foot, tibia and fibula. The talocrural joint is a hinge joint that connects the distal ends of the tibia and fibula which is the lower limb on the proximal end of the talus. The subtler joint is articulation between two tarsal bones in the foot which is the talus and calcaneus, its a plane joint.

The knee is a hinge joint which gives the legs mobility. The muscles and ligaments of this joint allows flexion and extension of the leg. “Because the knee supports the majority of the body weight, it is at risk of overuse and traumatic injuries” (France). The knee is composed of 3 major bones; the femur, tibia, and the fibula. The femur is the biggest bone in the human body, the inferior end flares out into two rounded landmarks called femoral condyles. Their name comes from the side of the body they are on, which is where we get Lateral Femoral Condyle and Media Femoral Condyle. Superiorly to these condlyes are the medial and lateral femoral epicondyles. The bones inferior to the femur are the Tibia and Fibula. The superior end of the Tibia flares out into slightly concave structures called the Tibial Plateaus. A crescent wedge shape of cartilage sits in each plateau. These are the Medial Meniscus and the Lateral Meniscus. This cartilage acts as a shock absorber and distributes forces. “The menisci are bathed by the synovial fluid of the knee” (France). The meniscus is what separates the each side of the Tibia and Femur and the transverse ligament connects each menisci. There is a circular bone on the

The quads include the rectus femoris, and the vastus lateralis, intermedius, and medialis. This muscle group shares a common tendon at insertion. The patellar tendon inserts at the tibial tuberosity, and within this tendon lies the patella. The patella is anterior to the femur-tibia articulation, and this sesmoid bone increases the leverage of the quads by acting as a pulley. The major contributor to the stability of the knee joint is the strength of the quads. The only muscle that assists in extension is the tensor fascia lata.

The knee joint consists of four ligaments, two intra-capsular which are the ACL and the PCL and two extra-capsular ligaments including the MCL and LCL. The ACL is an extremely strong stabiliser which prevents anterior displacement of the knee. The ACL is a ligament and therefore connects one bone to another, the femur with the tibia. The ACLs origin is from the anterior intercondylar eminence of the tibia (home,2017) and the fibres pass upwards, backward and laterally inserting into the lateral condyle of the femur.

The case study begins with a recreationally active 20 years old male, with a history of lateral ankle sprain.

Background: The most common way to sprain an ankle in basketball is to step on someone else’s foot, or to plant and to turn the wrong way.