What Lies Beneath the Simple Ankle Sprain

Commonly perceived as a minor injury, ankle sprains are dismissed by many athletes, in particular, who are encouraged to shake it off, play through pain, and pursue some simple rehab as their game and practice schedule allows. Yet there is more to simple ankle sprains than we may realize, including diminished proprioception and balance that may leave our patients more vulnerable to chronic injury. Why is this loss of proprioception specific to the ankle? Are we approaching our treatment of these injuries in the proper manner? Dr. John Kennedy, assistant professor of orthopaedic surgery at Weill Medical College of Cornell University and an orthopaedic surgeon at the Hospital for Special Surgery in New York, details effective diagnostic and treatment strategies with host Dr. Jordan Metzl. Dr. Kennedy urges us not to underestimate what may be perceived as a simple ankle sprain.