By Dr Tony Setiobudi BMedSci, MBBS, MRCS, MMed (Ortho), FRCS (Ortho)
Chronic ankle instability refers to a recurring or chronic pain on the outer side of the ankle that develops after trauma such as an ankle sprain. It is one of the most common sports injuries. Repeated untreated ankle sprains can lead to chronic ankle instability. Each subsequent unhealed sprain leads to further weakening of the ligaments, resulting in greater instability and may cause additional problems in the ankle.
People with chronic ankle instability may experience pain, swelling, bruising on the ankle after prolonged standing or walking. The ankle may be unstable and feel wobbly i.e., repeated turning of the ankle, especially when walking on uneven ground or when participating in sports. The pain ranges from mild to severe according to the chronicity of the condition.
Weak ankles can affect your balance and increase your risk of sprains, which can lead to chronic ankle instability. Strengthening weak ankles with the exercises shown in the YouTube link below gives you a lot of benefits including:
- strengthen the muscles around the outside of the ankle
- improve balance/ stability
- range of motion and proprioception
- retrain your muscles
- relieve pain and help you avoid further injury
Dr Tony Setiobudi is an Orthopaedic & Spine Surgeon at Mount Elizabeth Hospital (Orchard), Singapore. He treats bone, joint, muscle and ligament problems in adults and children. He has a special interest in nerve compression and spine problems such as back & neck pain, scoliosis, kyphosis, spine tumor & infection, spinal cord injury, osteoporosis fracture, spinal stenosis and slipped disc.