Ankle injuries, including sprains, strains, and fractures, are common conditions in adolescents due to a high level of physical activity. According to Du, Chen, Patterson, and Ranade (2018), more than 45 million children in the US have the condition annually. Children participating in sports and having other musculoskeletal conditions are at increased risk of injuries (National Institute of Health [NIH], 2015). The common symptoms are pains, swelling, bruising, and the inability to bear weight on the ankle (NIH, 2015). The diagnosis is usually performed after a physical examination and X-ray or MRI scans (NIH, 2015). These diagnostic tests are needed to differentiate among sprains, strains, fractures, and broken bones (NIH, 2015). Most of the conditions, however, are treated using pain medications, rest, and compressing using special bandages, casts, boots, or splints (NIH, 2015). However, in some cases, such as severely displaced fractures, patients may be referred to surgery for operative treatment. More information can be obtained in a recently published research article by Gill and Klingele (2018) titled “Management of foot and ankle injuries in pediatric and adolescent athletes: A narrative review.”
References
Gill, L., & Klingele, K. (2018). Management of foot and ankle injuries in pediatric and adolescent athletes: a narrative review. Orthopedic Research аnd Reviews, 10, 19-30. doi: 10.2147/orr.s129990
Du, P., Chen, K., Patterson, D., & Ranade, S. (2018). The pediatric ankle and foot: a review of common injuries in the pediatric athlete and their treatments. Annals Of Joint, 3, 35-35. doi: 10.21037/aoj.2018.02.02
National Institute of Health. Sprains and Strains. Web.