What Is the Difference Between a High Ankle Sprain and a Standard Ankle Sprain?
Dr. Murali Moorthy of Golden State Orthopedics & Spine explains the difference between high ankle and standard ankle sprains.
Question: What is the difference between a high ankle sprain and a standard ankle sprain?
Answer: A high ankle sprain is used to describe a specific type of ankle injury. Normally, when someone sprains their ankle, the outer ligaments are stretched or torn. This injury causes pain and swelling around the ankle and can be quite uncomfortable. A high ankle sprain injures the ligament about the ankle joint that joins together the two bones of the lower leg – the tibia, or shin bone, and the fibula. This ligament can be injured with more common lower ankle sprains and even ankle fractures. A high ankle sprain causes symptoms similar to other ankle sprains. The patient commonly complains of pain when the ankle is externally rotated or when the calf is squeezed.More Information
