Friday, September 18, 2015

A Simple Sprained Ankle May Have Lifelong Consequences

The ankle is the joint between the foot and leg, reinforced by a number of ligaments that connect the bones of this joint. The ankle allows humans to walk, run, jump, and perform a variety of other actions. It also contributes to lower limb stability.

One of the most common ankle problems we experience is sprain, where one or more of the ligaments connected to the bone is torn or partially torn. Most of the time, we usually overlook sprained ankle as a simple injury that doesn’t need further medical treatment from professionals. But recent studies shows that this “simple” injury may have lifelong consequences as reported by Gretchen Reynolds:

A Sprained Ankle May Have Lifelong Consequences

Tens of thousands of Americans sprain an ankle every year. But ankle sprains get little respect, with most of us shrugging off the injury as inconsequential and soon returning to normal activities.

Several new studies in people and animals, however, suggest that the effects of even a single sprained ankle could be more substantial and lingering than we have supposed, potentially altering how well and often someone moves, for life.

Healthy ankles are, of course, essential for movement.

“The ankle is the base of the body,” said Tricia Hubbard-Turner, a professor of kinesiology at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte, who led the recent studies. “Everything starts with the ankle.” Read more…

The ankle is an important part of our body as it is responsible for most of our lower limb mobility. But sometimes, we disregard our ankle, thinking it is sturdy enough for any mishaps we encounter in our life. Sprained ankle seems like a simple injury that can mend on its own. But in truth, the damage it has received over the years can accumulate, leading to a more serious injury that may have lifelong consequences.

Image Credit: A Sprained Ankle May Have Lifelong Consequences – The New York Times

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