As anyone who has experienced it knows, there are few things more excruciating than a dislocated ankle. Dislocations happen when one or more bones in the ankle are separated abnormally. While they are most commonly caused by injuries, weak bones, and certain health conditions can also lead to ankle dislocations in people. Knowing certain details about this condition can help people understand what to do when they dislocate an ankle.

Ankle dislocation symptoms
Healthcare professionals can gauge an ankle dislocation based on the following symptoms:

Ankle joint deformity
Normally, the bones that are part of one’s feet are tightly connected by strong ligaments. An injury that causes a dislocation tends to pull apart these ligaments, leading to abnormal spaces between the various bones. Ultimately, this leads to deformity, which is a major sign of dislocation. So, if someone suffers an injury and observes a dramatic change in how their foot appears over time, they are likely to have dislocated their ankle. In such cases, the injured person must visit their nearest physician for solutions immediately.

Numbness in the foot
Major injuries tend to affect the skin, bones, muscles, and nerves that run across the ankle joint. In many cases, these nerves are badly damaged or inflamed. This results in people with dislocated ankles suffering from numbness and, occasionally, a tingling sensation caused by the frayed nerves.

Injuries in body parts near the ankle
Injury-driven inflammation tends to spread with time. Therefore, if it is not treated in a timely manner, such injuries can also travel to other nearby areas on a person’s feet, leading to pain and sensitivity.

Ankle dislocation causes
As stated above, there are many ways in which an individual can sustain a dislocated ankle:

Sporting injuries
Sportspersons, especially those involved in contact sports, are the most likely to have ankle injuries and dislocations. One may have heard multiple stories of football players or rugby players having terrible ACL injuries or ankle issues after intense games.

Vehicular accidents
People who are injured in motor car accidents are also likely to suffer dislocated shoulders and ankles.

Osteoporosis
This is a condition that is known to weaken one’s bones to a great extent. As the bones become brittle and porous, they are more than likely to break even under the slightest pressure.

Ankle dislocation treatment
There are multiple ways to treat a dislocated ankle. In most cases, doctors place patients’ damaged ankles in a cast for about 6 to 8 weeks. In some instances, doctors may opt for a walker boot instead of a cast. Orthopedic consultancy is required for general physicians to commence physical therapy for treatment.

Doctors also frequently employ manual therapy for this purpose. This treatment avenue helps address tissue tightness and reduces swelling in the feet. This much more intensive treatment option may be more expensive than a standard cast-based treatment alternative. In many cases, professionals may accompany manual therapy with hydrotherapy, in which water is used to soothe the dislocated ankle area, reduce the pain, and speed up the recovery process for injured patients.