Ankle surgery???—need help!!!
(5 discussions)
I have had ankle problems for the past yr. or so and have sprained it multiple times. i am very active and soccer has caused me most problems. I still have part of one ligament left but my doc. says its just a matter of time. he said i could do surgery to repair the damage in the next yr. if i wait i can play on it but risk injuring it more. has anyone been through this surgery and has some advice? anyone please let me know what i should think about. thank you for the help!
5 comments
Major Doc
You have what us ankle and foot specialists call LAI or Lateral Ankle Instability. This is usually caused by rupture of one or more of the the lateral ankle ligaments. If you ‘roll’ the ankle and ‘sprain’ the ankle more than once or twice a week, you should probably seek and ankle specialist and undergo a lateral ankle stabilization procedure. This is a highly successful procedure that will strengthen the lateral ankle and prevent continued ankle instability.
Al Kline DPM
http://podassociates.proboards25.com/
PODIATRY FORUM
jessie04
i had my surgery so i could continue to play soccer and it was the best thing i ever did. i no longer have any problems with the ligament. however, it is a little tighter, comparitively to the other leg, but it is nothing to change. i went for the surgery b/c pt didn’t help me and i wanted to continue to play soccer at the same level. if pt is helping, you might not need the surgery. but if you aren’t comfortable with the laxity in your ankle you might just want opt for the surgery. it all depends on what you want to do. after rehab, the ligaments feel the same as before they were torn. hope this helps.
skier71
sorry for the late reply but i was out of time… the surgery would be on the outside ligaments but sorry i cannot remember the names but there are three of them torn. i have been through PT many times and though it has helped it still is constantly ustable.
jessie04
what kind of surgery, i had surgery on my anterior talofibular ligament 4 years ago. the ligament is on the outside of your ankle towards the front of the ankle bone.
ekrimen
Hi, I’m not familiar with your injury, but my experience with doctors and physical therapists (for lower back pain and a torn achilles tendon) highly recommends that whenever a doctor says “surgery” get at least 2 more opinions from doctors who specialize in that area of the body.
For an ankle injury, I’d also strongly recommend seeking a physical therapist who specializes in sports injuries and specifically ankles. Even better is to find a physical therapist who has a master’s degree (MPT).
Doctor’s don’t always know it all, and some injuries can be healed without surgery and just intensive physical therapy. I hope yours is one of those!
Good luck!
— Ed