Conventional Nonoperative Therapeutic Methods
- If acute dislocation (luxation) occurs, it must be reduced (brought back to a normal position) by a physician to prevent damage to the soft tissue and vessels. Furthermore, the affected limb should be immobilized and cooled. If necessary, a de-/partial load is required.
- Therapy for external ligament injuries of the upper ankle depends on the type of pathology:
- Grade I (stretching)
- Grade II (partial rupture)
- Grade III (complete rupture)-injury
For grade I and II injuries, elastic bandages and semirigid orthoses are most suitable for stabilization of the external ligament lesion; for grade III injuries, this is only possible after previous immobilization until swelling has subsided.
Regular control examinations
- Regular medical checkups
Physical therapy (including physiotherapy)
- Physical therapy should be performed for habitual dislocations (recurrent dislocations).
- Patients with first- or second-degree ankle sprains did not show better foot-and-ankle score (FAOS) scores after three months in the group that received a four-step physical therapy plan (guided sessions and home exercises) in addition to standard care compared with the control group.
