RECURRENT ANKLE SPRAINS

An ankle may feel unsteady or roll over frequently.  It may or may not be painful.  Usually there has been a previous significant ankle sprain and the unsteadiness remains or even progresses.  An unstable ankle can lead to regular falls and is associated with the development of arthritis in the ankle joint.

Ankle instability is due to the ligaments around the ankle being stretched or ruptured. Once the initial healing after a sprain has occurred, the difficulty of instability may become apparent.

Bracing or strapping may help for short periods.  

Patients with established instability find that surgery to repair the ligaments improves the stability and symptoms from the ankle allowing a greater chance of return to  sports and other physical activities.

Surgery may also involve arthroscopy (looking into the joint with a camera and using small instruments - keyhole surgery)

This is a problem seen in both children and adults.