Abstract
Ankle sprain injuries are the most common injury sustained
during sporting activities. Three-quarters of ankle injuries
involve the lateral ligamentous complex, comprised of the
anterior talofibular ligament (ATFL), the calcaneofibular ligament
(CFL), and the posterior talofibular ligament (PTFL).
The most common mechanism of injury in lateral ankle sprains
occurs with forced plantar flexion and inversion of the ankle
as the body’s center of gravity rolls over the ankle. The ATFL
followed by the CFL are the most commonly injured ligaments.
Eighty percent of acute ankle sprains make a full recovery
with conservative management, while 20% of acute ankle
sprains develop mechanical or functional instability, resulting
in chronic ankle instability. Treatment of acute ankle sprains
generally can be successfully managed with a short period of
immobilization that is followed by functional rehabilitation.
Patients with chronic ankle instability who fail functional
rehabilitation are best treated with a Brostrom-Gould anatomic
repair or, in those patients with poor tissue quality or
undergoing revision surgery, an anatomic reconstruction.