Do not ignore ankle sprains, ligament rupture can happen easily.

Doctors reconstruct torn ligament system after patient suffers sprain - Photo: HV

Only after being admitted to the hospital did I find out that the ligament system on the outside of my ankle was completely torn.

Recently, Xuyen A General Hospital received and treated patient TTT (48 years old), who often has to do manual work.

However, within the past year the patient has suffered more than three ankle sprains.

These injuries all occur during normal movement situations such as walking or going up and down stairs.

After each sprain, Mr. T. had difficulty walking, felt pain and his ankle became increasingly weak, so he decided to go to the hospital for a check-up.

Through examination and testing, doctors noted that the patient's ankle was loose, especially when performing ligament function tests.

MRI images showed that the entire external ligament system of the ankle had been torn, causing ankle instability, ankle joint degeneration, and increased risk of recurrent injury.

After careful consultation, surgeons reconstructed the lateral ligament of the ankle using an arthroscopic method. Specialized instruments were used to reconstruct the torn ligament system by grafting autologous ligaments made from other tendons in the knee area.

A few days after the surgery, Mr. T. was discharged from the hospital and instructed on how to exercise. His ankle was stronger and no longer loose as before.

When to go to hospital?

Doctor Nguyen Tien Loc - Department of Orthopedics, Xuyen A General Hospital - said that for those who are passionate about sports , ankle sprains are no longer strange.

In Vietnam, not only athletes but also ordinary workers can still suffer from ankle sprains.

In most cases, ankle sprains heal on their own within three weeks. However, about 30% of patients with sprains require surgery to repair the injury.

Therefore, when injured, people should go to hospitals with modern medical equipment and specialized doctors for timely examination and treatment.

Do not be subjective, try to endure the pain, or arbitrarily use drugs of unknown origin, massage, joint manipulation... as this will be very dangerous, causing difficulties for the doctor's treatment process later.

Doctor Vo Hoa Khanh - Head of Quality Management Department, Orthopedic Trauma Hospital - said that ankle sprain is a condition of ligament damage in the ankle joint area. The usual damage is stretching, but sometimes there is also tearing or rupture of the ankle ligament if the sprain is severe.

Ankle sprains are the most common type of sprain, the most common type of injury is varus due to landing incorrectly causing the ankle to bend, tilt or twist.

If not treated properly, it can lead to complications such as joint instability, reduced mobility and risk of osteoarthritis.

Dr. Khanh recommends warming up thoroughly before starting any physical activity. Regular, moderate exercise every day is better than vigorous activity just once or twice a week.

This keeps the muscles soft and flexible, so they can quickly recover from accidental injury.

Also pay attention to the weather, terrain, and distance of running or playing sports. Rain, slippery, bumpy roads will increase the risk of slipping and falling, so invest in appropriate sports equipment such as shoes, clothes, etc.

Practice safety at work and in daily life, avoid the risk of falling when performing tasks that require balance at heights.

How to recognize the severity of a sprain?

Doctor Khanh said there are 3 levels of ankle sprains to pay attention to:

Grade I: Mild, this sprain occurs when the force applied to the ankle is not too great and causes a slight stretch of the ligament. The ankle will have a small swelling and be accompanied by a slight pain.

Grade II: Moderate, with this level of sprain, the ligaments in the ankle area may have been torn or partially torn.

The ankle area will be quite swollen and bruised. When standing up, you will feel a slight feeling of instability in the ankle area.

Grade III: Severe, this is the most severe level of ankle sprain. In this case, the ligaments in the ankle are completely torn.

The ankle area will be very swollen and bruised. When standing up, there will be extreme pain and complete instability of the ankle joint.

Source: https://tuoitre.vn/bong-gan-co-chan-hoai-cho-coi-thuong-dut-day-chang-nhu-choi-20241018102901748.htm