Common Causes and Symptoms of Ankle Instability | Ortho Sport & Spine Physicians (2024)

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Common Causes and Symptoms of Ankle Instability | Ortho Sport & Spine Physicians? ›

The most frequent cause of ankle instability is a previous ankle sprain, especially if the initial injury was not adequately treated or rehabilitated. When the ligaments that support the ankle are stretched or torn, they may not heal properly, leading to instability.

Ankle instability is caused by injury to the lateral [outside] ankle ligaments. This usually causes strain or stretch, and in more severe forms, causes a sprain or tear in the ligaments.

There are various treatment options for chronic ankle instability: Conservative treatment is tried first. This involves doing physical therapy (physiotherapy) to strengthen the joint, and possibly wearing an ankle brace or splint to stabilize it. One common physical therapy approach is called neuromuscular training.

The diagnosis can be confirmed with an MRI showing evidence of damage to the lateral ankle ligament. In our case series, we reported eight cases that returned a normal MRI but were later confirmed to have lateral ankle ligament injuries during surgery.

Chronic ankle instability may be due to mechanical instability, functional instability, or most likely, a combination of these 2 phenomena. Mechanical instability may be due to specific insufficiencies such as pathologic laxity, arthrokinematic changes, synovial irritation, or degenerative changes.

Chronic ankle instability is typically caused by an acute injury and can lead to many more problems if not properly treated. The good news is that it can be treated and that there are non-surgical therapies available that are usually effective.

Combination treatment

Treatment, which is geared to save the ankle joint, may include bracing, injections, physical therapy and surgery to repair cartilage damage or improve ankle instability.

Procedure: The patient is positioned similar to the Inversion stress test. The examiner everts and abducts the heel while stabilizing the distal tibia. The test is performed on both the sides. An increased laxity and pain on the injured side in comparison to the uninjured side would indicate a positive test.

Ankle braces can provide additional support and stability to individuals with chronic ankle instability. These braces are designed to limit excessive ankle movement while still allowing a reasonable range of motion for normal activities.

According to the National Institute of Health, over 70 percent of those who sprain their ankles develop some form of residual physical disability.

Does ankle instability require surgery? ›

You might need this surgery if one or more of the ligaments on the outside of your ankle has loosened or stretched. This leads to a condition called chronic ankle instability. It can cause chronic pain, repeated ankle sprains, and an ankle that often gives way when you walk or perform activities.

The continuous feeling of instability could be attributed to multiple factors such as muscle weakness, muscle recruitment patterns, decreased ankle range of motion, balance deficits, and impaired sensorimotor performance and joint proprioception.

Each time the ankle is sprained, it stretches the ligaments, causing increasing ligamentous laxity, leading to even more instability. People with chronic ankle instability often experience the achiness, pain, and inconvenience of repeated ankle sprains.

With ankle instability, you might find you cannot bear your weight without losing balance or your ankle bucking outwards under the weight. Although this does not happen when standing upright, you might experience this symptom when playing sports, dancing, or walking on an uneven surface.

The Ankle Anterior Drawer Test , Medial Subtalar Glide Test , and Talar Tilt Tests can highlight ligament injuries that result in significant ankle instability and imply that further testing is strongly indicated.

Chronic ankle instability is a condition characterized by a recurring “giving way” of the outer (lateral) side of the ankle. This condition often develops after repeated ankle sprains. Usually the “giving way” occurs while walking or doing other activities, but it can also happen when you're just standing.

Examples include sprains, strains, fractures, and dislocations. Another issue that causes weak ankles is chronic ankle instability, which develops after trauma to the ankle. There are also some health conditions that can cause the ankles to get weak. Diabetes and osteoarthritis are the most common ones.

Why does my ankle keep giving out? Usually this happens because you have had many ankle sprains and your ankle ligaments are not functioning properly anymore. Sometimes weak muscles or an underlying foot deformity can be contributing causes. If your ankle gives out repeatedly, you may have chronic ankle instability.