The ankle joint is a weight-bearing joint of the lower limbs. During excessive strong inversion or valgus activities, such as walking on uneven surfaces, falling from high places or landing unsteadily when running and jumping, can cause injury to the lateral or medial ligaments, partial tear or complete rupture or avulsion fracture with pressure pain. Improper early treatment and excessive ligament relaxation can cause ankle instability, which can easily lead to repeated sprains and even articular cartilage damage, traumatic arthritis, and seriously affect walking function.
The sequelae caused by improper prevention and treatment of ankle sprains are roughly as follows.
1.Insufficient muscle strength and reduced motor ability
2.Decreased ankle joint activity area.
3. Long-term pain and swelling of the ankle of unknown origin.
4. Unstable ankle joint, walking feeling unstable and prone to habitual ankle injury.
If this occurs, it is time to consider further treatment, usually
Non-surgical treatment includes.
1. Adjunctive treatment with drugs: it can reduce the symptoms There are quite a lot of anti-inflammatory and analgesic drugs commonly used in clinical practice. Corticosteroids should be prohibited in the treatment of arthritis because they can inhibit the synthesis of proteoglycans in the articular cartilage.
2, physical therapy.
(1) direct current therapy.
(2) infrared therapy.
(3) ultrasound therapy.
(4) magnetic therapy.
Surgical treatment.
1.Joint cleanup is suitable for cases with obvious free body edge bone spurs in the joint, but the weight-bearing surface of the joint is still relatively intact.
2.Osteotomy is suitable for obvious intra-articular and exostosis and fracture with obvious angular deformity. Osteotomy can reduce the intra-articular pressure, correct the gravitational line and make the more intact joint surface bear more weight load.
3. Joint fusion is suitable for patients with a single weight-bearing joint of the lower extremity, with severe joint destruction but relatively young who need to engage in walking or standing work. The Joint Surgery Department of Southwest Hospital can complete the ankle joint fusion surgery with the assistance of ankle arthroscopy, which is a small incision, less trauma and quick recovery after surgery.
4.Artificial ankle joint replacement is suitable for elderly people with severe pain and joint destruction. Patients do not have pain when walking in the ankle joint after surgery and have a certain range of joint movement.
Therefore, the joint should be treated promptly after sprain. The principle is to brake and reduce swelling and dissipate bruises so that the damaged tissues can be well repaired. In case of a large amount of blood accumulation in the joint, it should be promptly extracted under aseptic technique to avoid posterior intra-articular adhesions. In case of ligament rupture or avulsion fracture that affects joint stability, surgical repositioning and repair are required to avoid repeated sprains, articular cartilage damage and traumatic arthritis.