Together, AdventHealth and Rothman Orthopaedics are creating a groundbreaking network to be the new gold standard in quality, innovation, research and whole-person care. Rothman Orthopaedics locations are staffed with highly specialized physicians who are raising the bar and focusing on providing unmatched expertise for every bone in your body, including:
- Foot and ankle care
- Hand and wrist care
- Hip and knee repairs, reconstructions, and replacements
- Shoulder and elbow replacements and reconstructions
- Spine surgery
- Sports Medicine (Surgical and non-surgical)
“Our dedicated team of specialists is excited to serve this community,” said Dr. Gerald Bornstein, podiatrist at Rothman Orthopaedics. “We’re offering state-of-the-art procedures for every orthopedic concern, including foot and ankle care”
When Should I Seek Foot and Ankle Care?
Did you know the average person walks more than 100,000 miles in a lifetime? To walk this distance over the course of a lifetime a person’s feet must be strong and stable. With the constant impact of walking and running, it is not surprising that the feet and ankles are some of the most frequently injured areas of the human body. Below, learn about the key differences between ankle sprains and fractures to help recognize when you might need to seek care.
Ankle Sprains
An ankle sprain is an injury to one or more ligaments in the ankle. Ligaments are bands of tissue, that connect one bone to another and bind the joints together. In the ankle joint, ligaments provide stability by limiting side-to-side movement. Most ankle sprains occur on the outer aspect of the ankle.
Some ankle sprains are worse than others. The severity of an ankle sprain depends on whether the ligament is partially or completely torn and on the number of ligaments involved. Ankle sprains are not the same as strains which affect muscles rather than ligaments.
High Ankle Sprain
This condition occurs when the sprain injures the large ligament above the ankle that joins the two bones of the lower leg, the tibia and fibula, together. The fibula and the tibia are joined together by the interosseous membrane which runs from the knee down to the ankle. The area just above the ankle joint where the fibula and the tibia come together is where the syndesmotic ligaments are located.
Ankle Fractures
A fracture is a partial or complete break in a bone. In the ankle, fractures can range from the less serious avulsion injuries (small pieces of bone that have been pulled off) to severe, shattering-type breaks of the tibia, fibula, or both.
Ankle fractures are common injuries that are most often caused by the ankle rolling inward or outward. Many people mistake an ankle fracture for an ankle sprain, but they are quite different and require an accurate and early diagnosis. Both can occur simultaneously.
Fracture Signs and Symptoms
An ankle fracture is accompanied by one or all of these signs and symptoms:
- Bone protruding through the skin — a sign that immediate care is needed; fractures that pierce the skin require urgent attention because they can lead to severe infection and prolonged recovery
- Change in the appearance of the ankle so that it differs from the other ankle
- Decreased ability to walk — it is possible to walk with less severe breaks, so never rely on walking as a test of whether a bone has been fractured
- Blisters may occur over the fractured area — these should be promptly treated by a surgeon
- Bruising
- Pain at the site of the fracture, which in some cases can extend from the foot to the knee
- Significant swelling, which may occur along the length of the leg or may be more localized
Helping You Get Back on Your Feet
Whether you’re facing specific symptoms or a complex condition that may require surgery, you can count on us to guide your care with conservative solutions and minimally invasive procedures. We’ll help you regain your mobility and range of motion, so you can feel whole.
To learn more, visit TransformingOrtho.com.
