Ankle injury

An injury to the ankle is the most common injury in soccer. There are many types of ankle injuries. Below, we discuss the most common ankle injuries and tell you what you can do in case of an ankle injury.

Common ankle injuries

Common ankle injuries in soccer players are:

Ankle sprain
The most well-known and most common ankle injury in soccer is the sprained ankle. An ankle sprain is a movement of the ankle in which the foot usually rolls inward. This causes damage to the outer ankle ligaments and sometimes also to the inside of the ankle. In soccer this happens due to frequent cutting and turning during play and physical contact with the opponent. A common cause is also landing on another player's foot.

The degree of sprain determines the severity of the damage to the ankle ligaments. With a severe sprain, the two bony parts on the inside of the ankle can collide due to the impact. This can lead to damage to the cartilage on the inside of the ankle.

Ankle contusion
With a tackle on your ankle there is a good chance that a contusion will occur. The result is a painful swollen area that can later turn blue. With a contusion, subcutaneous tissue is damaged. If the damage is not too severe, an ankle contusion usually heals on its own within a few days to weeks.

Chronic ankle instability
After each ankle sprain, the chance of developing chronic ankle instability increases. This is characterized by repeatedly twisting the ankle. Chronic ankle instability develops because the ankle does not recover well after a sprain. The main reason for this is usually returning to playing soccer too soon after a sprain.

Chronic ankle instability is common in soccer players. Soccer players with this condition often play with a brace or tape around the ankle to prevent new sprains. This is a good option, but preventing chronic ankle instability by recovering properly after an ankle sprain is the best treatment.

Other ankle injuries

In addition to sprains, ankle fractures can also occur in extreme cases, mainly due to a tackle by an opponent. But during a severe sprain there is also a risk of a broken ankle, foot, or lower leg. In general, it is wise to have your ankle examined for a fracture if you cannot walk more than 4 steps.

Other common ankle conditions are:

• Posterior ankle impingement
• Anterior ankle impingement
• Tarsal tunnel syndrome
• Osteochondritis dissecans
• Medial ankle ligament injury
• Sinus tarsi syndrome

Treatment of ankle injuries

The treatment of ankle injuries depends on the type of injury. Other important aspects for treatment are the mechanism of injury and the location of the pain. A physical therapist can help you with this. In many cases it is necessary to follow an exercise program after the injury. This will make the ankle and lower leg strong again and reduce the risk of being injured again.

Do the self-check

Do you want to know which ankle injury you have? Then first do the self-check. By answering a number of questions about your ankle injury we try to determine the cause of your symptoms.