After a long break, the NBA is finally back! With the restart of the NBA, a new season of ankle sprains and injuries begin. Ankle sprains are the number one most common injury for a basketball player to endure. It happens when you “roll or tweak” your ankle and the ligaments stretch or tear (most commonly on the outside of your ankle as it rolls inward). Many all-star players have experienced the pain and frustration that goes along with having an ankle injury. Stephen Curry of the Golden State Warriors struggled with chronic ankle sprains at the beginning of his career. He tweaked or sprained his ankle more than fifteen times in his career. He had conservative treatment combined with surgical reconstruction of his affected ankle ligaments. Following his post-operative treatment protocol and physical therapy, Stephen Curry went on to become a two-time NBA MVP and a three-time NBA Champion!
Ankle sprains can be classified by the severity of injury (refer to below)
Grade 1:
Stretch or partial tear of a ligament
Symptoms: Mild pain/swelling. No instability. No loss of function
Treatment: Rest, Ice, Physical therapy
Return to Activity: Approximately 2 weeks
Grade 2:
Incomplete tear of ligament
Symptoms: Moderate pain/swelling. Bruising. Pain with weight bearing
Treatment: Rest, Ice, bracing/taping, Physical therapy
Return to Activity: Approximately 3-4 weeks
Grade 3:
Complete tear of ligament
Symptoms: Severe swelling/bruising. Instability and loss of function
Treatment: Rest, Ice, Bracing/taping, Physical therapy, Surgery
Return to Activity: Approximately 6-10 weeks
After you suffer an ankle sprain, the first line of treatment is to rest, ice, elevate, and compress to control swelling and pain. If you are unable to walk more than 4 steps, you may need an X-ray to make sure you do not have a fracture.
Contact Brucato Foot and Ankle Surgery for further evaluation and treatment!
