Chronic Ankle Sprains

Have you ever noticed that the first time you roll or sprain your ankle it is extremely painful and it then occurs more frequently with less pain?  That is chronic ankle sprain and it has a neurologic component.

The first step in diagnosing an ankle sprain is to clear it for avulsion fracture and control inflammation.  We have several techniques that make this a rapid process.  The next step is to determine if there is a pattern of chronicity and determine how this process can be halted.

When the ankle is sprained ligaments that connect the foot to the lower leg are torn and painful inflammation is the result.  Small nerves that tell your brain where your foot is when you’re not looking down it are called proprioceptive nerves.  In a bad sprain, these nerves are damaged as well leaving you with poor coordination of that ankle and a higher frequency of sprain accidents on that ankle in the future.  In chronic ankle sprains, our treatment plans direct recovery of the neurologic damage with stability protocols and local ankle adjustments that stimulate the proprioceptive neurologic system.