Ankle injury may occur to anyone any time. Earlier it was thought that this type of injury is reserved only for sports personalities but you may get injured by simply walking on uneven surface. Injury may be mild (sprain) or intense (fracture) or moderate (tear in tendon). Men are more prone to get this type of injury than women.
There are three types of injury involved in the ankle namely bone, tendon and ligament. Ankle is the place where one can find the union of three bones – tibia, fibula and talus. All these bones are fused together at the point of ankle joint. Ligaments bind them using connective tissue which eventually keep the bones intact. A tendon is attached to the muscles of bones and is responsible for movement of foot and ankle.
Fracture occurs when there is a break in bone. A sprain occurs when the ligaments are damaged or stretched beyond their capacity and a strain develops when there is damage to the muscles or tendons. When compared with fracture, strains are common in legs and ankle. If there is any injury on the tendon it develops inflammation. There may be microscopic tears on the ligaments causing sprain. When the tendons are being repeatedly stretched for long time, it may cause tendinosis and in rare cases, it may rupture.
Causes
Ankle injury is caused when a person walks on irregular surface and due to repeated sports activities. Sometimes it can occur during a fall or a jump in awkward position and due to sudden injury or trauma while driving a bike or car. It may also develop when a person is twisting the ankle beyond limit on repeated attempts.