San Francisco Ankle Injury Information
Ankle injuries are the most common of all sports injuries. In places like the San Francisco Bay Area, there any many outdoor activities and athletes who suffer ankle injuries of all types. By far the most common ankle injuy is an ankle sprain. Many ankle sprains can be treated at home with R.I.C.E. (Rest, Ice applied to the ankle, Compression in a brace or ACE wrap, Elevating the ankle above your heart).
Only rarely does a sprained ankle warrant surgery. It is important to note that several different broken bones (like ankle fractures, fibular retinacular avulsion fractures, lateral process fractures of the talus bone, talar dome fractures and 5th metatarsal bone fracture) can happen at the same time that you sprain your ankle.
If you have an ankle sprain that continues to swell or hurts more than a few days, it is important to seek treatment from an ankle specialist. Make sure you find a San Francisco based podiatric or orthopedic surgeon who specializes in ankle injuries. Finding someone who is board qualified in rearfoot reconstructive ankle surgery can help you feel confident in the care you will recieve. But keep in mind, that the vast majority of ankle injuries don’t need surgery.
You can use the foot pain finder on the Home Page to get any idea of the possible causes of you ankle pain.
Why do I need to see a specialist for an Ankle Injury?
Ankle injuries are seen all the time in the Emergency Room. Unfortunately, some of the subtle fractures associated with ankle sprains are missed in busy Emergency Rooms. Without the right diagnosis, you can’t get started on the right treatment. Ankle injuries that are not treated correctly can lead to ankle arthritis and premature wearing out of the joint. If degnerative joint disease of the ankle develops, the available treatments are not good. The only really effective treatent options for advanced arthritis of of the ankle are ankle fusion (that produces stiffness) and an ankle implant (which has a high failure rate). Make sure you see a true ankle expert in San Francisco if you get injured hiking in Marin, Skiing in Tahoe, playing soccer in the Marina, or Paragliding along the coast.
Dr. Christopher Segler is a San Francisco podiatrist and ankle surgeon who has won an award for his research on diagnosing subtle fractures involving the ankle. He offers house calls to evaluate ankle injuries for Bay Area residents who don’t have time to get to the podiatry office. You can reach him directly at (415) 308-0833.
