Chronic Ankle Instability

What Is Chronic Ankle Instability?

When you roll or sprain your ankle repeatedly, it can lead to weak and unstable ankles. This can lead to even more rolling, which causes the band of lateral ligaments that stabilizes the outside of your ankle to stretch or even tear.
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If your ankle injury doesn’t fully heal, it can result in even more damage to the ligaments, starting a cycle of chronic ankle instability and recurring ankle sprains.
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Chronic ankle instability does not heal on its own, and surgery may be necessary.

Diagnosing Chronic Ankle Instability

To determine if you have chronic ankle instability, your doctor will conduct an exam that includes:‍

• questions about your symptoms and injury history
• a physical exam to check for ligament overstretching, muscle strength, and ankle motion
• a balance test to determine whether ankle instability is affecting your sense of balance

If you think you may have chronic ankle instability, find a doctor who offers the InternalBrace procedure here. ‍

The Cycle of Chronic Ankle Instability

Sprained Ankle

Unstable Ankle

Arthritic and Unstable Ankle

Ankle sprains occur when your foot suddenly rolls inwardly and your weight shifts onto the outside edge of the ankle.

The forced rotation of the ankle joint causes the supporting ligaments to stretch or tear.

Stretched and torn ligaments are weaker and may not heal properly. Unable to play their role supporting the ankle joint, the ligaments give way easily, resulting in more sprains.

The result is chronic ankle instability and an unending cycle of ankle sprains.

Over time, and without treatment, repeated injury to the ankle ligaments can lead to degenerative changes and possibly osteoarthritis.<sup>1,2

‍</sup>Osteoarthritis causes your cartilage (the connective tissue that protects the joints between bones) to wear away. It can cause pain, swelling, stiffness, and a loss of function, among other symptoms.³

Preinjured, healthy ligament