Rehabilitation after Moderate Sprain of Lateral Ankle Ligament

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the effect of comprehensive rehabilitation treatment in patients with moderate lateral ankle ligament sprain. METHOD: We reviewed the medical records of 22 patients who had been in rehabilitation program after moderate lateral ankle ligament sprain. We measured the range of motion of ankle joint, pain intensity by visual analogue scale (VAS) score, the difference of ankle circumference between normal and affected side, and strength of dorsiflexor, plantarflexor, invertor and evertor of ankle before and after rehabilitation. RESULTS: The range of motion, VAS score, ankle circumference, strength of dorsiflexor, invertor and evertor of the affected ankle significantly improved after rehabilitation exercise (p <0.05). Eighteen out of 22 patients returned to the sports activities successfully after systemic rehabilitation. CONCLUSION: Systemic and appropriate rehabilitation is inevitably necessary after acute ankle sprain for the successful return to the sports activities.