In most cases this injury will not have been caused by a car accident however there is a significant proportion that is a direct result of motor vehicle collisions. Road traffic accidents are a major cause of traumatic injury and represent more than half of all cases handled by personal injury solicitors. If you have been injured in a car accident and you want to make a compensation claim for personal injury and loss just complete the contact form, email our offices or use the solicitor�s helpline. Our car accident compensation claim solicitors offer free advice without further obligation. If we deal with your claim it will be on a no win no fee basis, compensation is paid in full and you do not have to fund or finance your car accident compensation claim.
Ankle injuries are extremely common. About a million people a year visit the doctor or emergency room because of a sprained ankle. This is the most common ankle injury. The ankle can also be fractured, depending on the strength of the bones over the strength of the ligaments. The ankle joint is as far distal to the center of gravity as possible and is therefore prone to becoming injured during a trip and fall or inversion injury of the ankle. An inversion injury is when the ankle is flexed inward and you land on the outer aspect of your foot and ankle. This can stress ligaments and fracture bones. It is most common when the terrain is uneven or if there is an unusual amount of force placed on the lateral aspect of the joint. More rarely, medial or inside injuries of the joint can occur with an eversion injury.
Ankle injuries can happen during sports injuries, motor vehicle accidents, dancing injuries and just walking on uneven surfaces. The ankle can become sprained or fractured, depending on the degree of injury and the strength of the bones. The joint itself is made up of three bones. The first is the tibia, which is the main supporting bone of the lower leg. It doesn�t get fractured often because it is so strong. The fibula is a weaker bone on the lateral aspect of the lower leg. It supports the ankle in the proper position and is frequently fractured. Ligaments attached to the fibula are often damaged in an inversion injury to the ankle. The talus is the square-shaped bone that is attached to the rest of the foot. It is the most distal bone in the ankle joint and sometimes gets fractured.
There are several tendons attached to the ankle to allow it to rotate and move freely. Any of the tendons can be pulled away from the bone or can be ruptured at any point along their length. An avulsion fracture is when bone is pulled away along with the tendon and there is a tiny fracture of the distal bone. Normal stress can damage the tendons of the ankle. There are also a lot of ligaments that can be stretched or injured in the ankle. Stress on the ligaments can cause them to tear or rip. The most common injury to the ankle is a tear or pulling of the anterior talofibular ligament. Typical strains are from injuries to this ligament.
The most common injury to the ankle is the sprain. The ligaments are not as strong as the bones are so they pull away from the bone in an avulsion injury or they tear along their length. It can happen in a running injury, when walking or when awkwardly climbing or going down stairs. Even getting out of bed can contribute to getting an ankle sprain. You can step in a hole and sustain an inversion injury, which can cause a sprain. Sports injuries commonly cause sprain. As mentioned, inversion injuries are much more common than eversion injuries.
Signs and symptoms of an ankle injury are an ankle that is swollen and red due to increased blood in the area. Later, there will be bruising, which travels down onto the foot. The ankle is very tender and can be tender specifically at the spot of the injury, helping the doctor diagnose the type of injury you have. The blood vessels within the ankle become leaky and spill blood into the spaces around the ankle. The ankle can be spongy in appearance and to the touch. It can be difficult to place the foot on the floor due to extreme pain in the ankle.
Doctors do a detailed history and physical examination of the ankle to better define where the ankle is injured. The doctor palpates the anterior talofibular ligament and the posterior talofibular ligament
along with the bony tip of the fibula. The medial ankle is examined as well to see if there is a fracture of that side of the ankle as well. Nerves and arteries are assessed for their integrity. X-rays can show if there is a bony injury to the ankle and an MRI or CT scan of the ankle can show if there is significant ligamentous injury in the affected area.
Treatment of the ankle injury involves either casting the ankle or applying a splint to immobilize the ankle. Pain medications are given and the person is asked to walk with crutches or a walker in order to make the patient comfortable while the ankle heals. It takes from three weeks to six weeks to heal the ankle completely, depending on the severity of the injury.
If you have suffered physically, mentally or financially, you should consider making an accident compensation claim. For free telephone advice from specialist personal injury solicitors just call the helpline. Our lawyers will assess the strength of your claim and will advise you on your potential award of compensation without any further obligation.