Have you ever wondered why a football player with an ankle sprain is out longer than a basketball player? Have you ever wondered what a high ankle sprain means? High ankle sprains account for about 75% of ankle sprains for football, lacrosse, hockey, and rugby compared to 10-20% in other non-contact sports. The main difference between these two injuries is how they occur and the ligaments affected.
High ankle sprains commonly occur when the body and lower leg excessively rotates around a rigid foot that is flat on the ground. This action causes a force that pulls apart the two bones that make up the lower leg (tibia and fibula). When these bones attempt to separate a sprain results to the ligaments that hold them together. In contrast, a normal ankle sprain involves rolling the foot inward and damaging ligaments on the outside portion of the ankle. This injury is much quicker to heal than a high ankle sprain because the ligaments involved do not have as much of a role in the stability of the ankle. The connection of the tibia and fibula creates a joint that must withstand forces much greater than a person's body weight and in a high ankle sprain, this joint loses its effectiveness and stability.
High ankle sprains are given a grade from I-III depending on the severity and the amount of instability. Grade I means pain but no instability. Grade II occurs with some instability and pain. Grade III indicates considerable instability with pain. Time and competition missed depends on the severity. A high ankle sprain that does not require surgery is anywhere from 1-7 weeks compared to 12-14 weeks if surgery is needed.