About Ligament Repair

Ankle sprains are a common injury that cause damage to the ligaments around the ankle. The most commonly injured ligament is the lateral ligament complex which is composed of the anterior talofibular ligament (ATFL) , calcaneofibular ligament (CFL) and posterior talofibular ligament (PTFL). In many cases the injury to the ligaments is incomplete and/or the ligaments heal in a manner that stability is restored to the ankle joint. In some cases however the ligaments heal poorly and the result is an unstable ankle joint.

The Symptoms

The symptoms of ankle instability are pain, swelling, recurrent ankle sprains and ankle weakness. Initial treatment is a program of exercises and bracing to attempt to control the instability by utilizing secondary stabilizers. If this fails then surgical treatment is recommended.

The Procedure

At Regional Orthopedics this condition can be repaired on an outpatient basis utilizing a 3 inch incision over the lateral aspect of the ankle. The torn ligaments can be repaired and tightened. In some cases the ligament tissue is insufficient and a tissue graft is needed to reconstruct the ligament. This can be accomplished utilizing local tissue from the area when necessary. Recovery time is 4 weeks in ankle brace followed by 4-6 weeks of rehabilitation.