The ankle is held together by three main . The two lateral ligaments stop the ankle sliding forward and rolling from side to side. They are attached to the fibula (the small bone next to the shinbone) and the talus (the anklebone).
When the ankle is violently twisted or forced beyond its normal range of movement, the ligaments can easily become stretched or torn. This is known as a sprain.
If your ankle doesn’t heal properly after a sprain, or you sprain your ankle repeatedly, you may end up with chronic ankle instability. The resultant constant swelling in the ankle can cause a reflex in the body that ‘switches off’ the muscles around the joint, which reduces the stability even more.
If the ankle does not respond to non-surgical treatment (, supportive footwear, physiotherapy), surgery is recommended.
The sensation that your ankle is going to give way, especially on uneven ground. Your ankle will frequently turn during activity, causing pain, inflammation and swelling. You may have almost constant swelling in the ankle.
An x-ray will rule out a fracture of the ankle bones. Putting stress directly on the ankle ligaments ascertains if the ankle has become unstable; it can also help to show if a ligament has been torn.
Ligament Tightening Procedure/Brostrum Repair
During , the damaged and stretched ligaments are repaired and stitched back on themselves to restore them to their normal strength and thickness.
Post operatively, you will be able to put weight on the foot almost immediately. You will be given a splint () to wear for three weeks, during which time you will be having physiotherapy twice a week. You should expect full recovery about six weeks after your surgery.