Old Ankle Sprains Increase Risk for
Newly Active Baby Boomers
The American College of Foot and Ankle Surgeons has a
valuable lesson for Baby Boomers now getting back into fitness and sports: Get
your ankles checked for chronic instability caused by sprains and other
injuries that might not have healed properly years ago.
Many people who have suffered ankle sprains in the past
could be at risk for more serious damage as they age and try to stay in good
physical condition. It is estimated that one in four sports injuries involves
the foot or ankle, and a majority of them occur from incomplete rehabilitation
of earlier injuries.
“Many older adult athletes who have had a previous injury
that wasn’t fully rehabilitated may experience swelling and pain as they
increase their physical activity,” says Robert Duggan, DPM, FACFAS, an
Orlando-based foot and ankle surgeon. “But pain isn’t normal in the ankle area,
even if you’re starting to get back in shape.”
Duggan adds that both serious athletes and weekend sports
participants often misunderstand how serious a sprain can be, and they rush
back into action without taking time to rehabilitate the injury properly.
“A sprain that happened years ago can leave residual
weakness that isn’t noticed in normal daily activity, but subjecting the ankle
to rigorous physical activity can further damage improperly healed ligaments,
and cause persistent pain and swelling,” says Duggan. “For anyone hoping to
regain past athletic fitness, it’s recommended that you have that old ankle
injury checked out by a foot and ankle surgeon before becoming active again.”
Some sprains are severe enough to strain or tear the tendons
on the outside of the ankle, called the peroneal tendons. Persistent pain and
tenderness after a sprain, especially if the individual felt a ‘pop’ on the
outside of the ankle and couldn’t stand tiptoe, might be a warning sign that
the tendon is torn or split. The injury is best diagnosed with an MRI
exam.
Research has shown that more than 85 percent of athletes who
had surgery to repair a torn peroneal tendon were able to return to full
sporting activity within three months after the procedure.
“Peroneal tendon tears are an overlooked cause of lateral
ankle pain,” says Duggan. “Although surgery for athletically active patients
shouldn’t be taken lightly, surgical repair of the peroneal tendons is proving
to be very successful in helping athletes with serious ankle problems return to
full activity.”
Information provided by The American College of Foot and Ankle Surgeons