Lauren was a 13 year old basketball player who sprained her ankle 4 weeks ago, but after 4 weeks her pain was only getting worse. She presented to our office with swelling, having a difficult time walking and running on her ankle, and unable to play basketball because of the pain. She was told to rest her ankle for a couple weeks, but the pain was not improving. Lauren had her final basketball tournament of the season in 5 days when she presented to our office.

As a chiropractor that's certified in FAKTR we conducted a comprehensive foot and ankle evaluation. We noticed the following findings in Lauren's foot and ankle exam. 

• Significant swelling, tenderness and decreased range of motion in the left ankle.
• Difficulty pushing off or putting pressure on her ankle.
• Lauren's had an abnormal gait from favoring her left ankle which could lead to knee, hip or lower back issues in the future, if not addressed. 
• No neurological findings or red flags associated with nerve related conditions.

Here is a short video of our treatment of ankle sprains.

After evaluating Lauren, we discussed her condition and her prognosis. I recommended an X-ray of her ankle to rule out a fracture. It's especially important to know if a fracture is present in an athlete to make sure they do not keep pushing through these injuries which may lead to more substantial issues in the future.

Lauren's X-ray came back negative for a fracture and she was diagnosed with a High Ankle Sprain (Syndesmotic Ankle Sprain).

Sarah has a condition called a High Ankle Sprain (Syndesmotic Ankle Sprain). 

• High Ankle Sprains are caused by damage to the ligaments that hold the tibia and fibula together.
• High Ankle Sprains represent 10% of all ankle sprains, but are more difficult to assess and manage with significantly longer recovery times.
• Most Grade 1 High Ankle Sprains respond to conservative care. (Chiropractic and PT)

I discussed with Lauren our treatment plan. Lauren and her mom had a goal to get her back to Basketball with less pain and hopes to play that following weekend. To give her the best opportunity to achieve these goals we would use a combination of FAKTR soft tissue therapies and home rehab exercises. I explained to Lauren that her response depends on how severe the tissue injury has been. I also explained to her the importance of strengthening her ankle to avoid future ankle sprains. Most of this strength would be developed from a home exercise plan.

Here are some of the home exercises given for Lauren's ankle sprain. 

After 3 days of consecutive treatment Lauren was able to play 4 basketball games in 6 hours without pain during or after. She was able to play in her final basketball tournament of the season and be with her teammates.

This is a review from Lauren's mom:

"A month after injury my daughter still had a very swollen ankle. We visited Dr. Jeremy, who directed us to get an X-ray to rule out a fracture for how swollen it was for that long. Ruling out fracture, he was able to give her treatments close together working that ankle in clinic & with exercises at home. She went from half a grapefruit size swelling on Wednesday to almost nothing by Sunday. Using a good brace & the work that had been done- she was able to play 4 games in 6 hours on Sunday, without pain, during or after. A much better way to end that season. Highly Recommend!!"

Lauren has been just one of many patients who has responded to our treatment of ankle pain. If you are dealing with a similar issue feel free to start with the exercise provided. If it's not doing the trick and you need more help contact our clinic and we would be glad to help.

We're ready to help! 

Thank You for taking the time to read Lauren's story!

The patient's name has been changed to protect privacy rights.