Ankle Sprains

A sprained ankle is common amongst athletes, but also commonly happens to non-athletes. It occurs when you participate in physical activities or sports, but can also happen by stepping on uneven surfaces or pavement. Ankle sprains occur when a foot twists or turns beyond its regular motions. This leads to the ligaments of the ankle to stretch beyond their usual range of motion. Sprains are classified as Grade 1 sprains, Grade 2 sprains, or Grade 3 sprains. Since athletes are most likely to have a sprain, the main treatment plan for a sprain is rest and non-activity. Depending on the severity of the sprain, a person might also have to go through a type of therapy for it. Sprains rarely require surgery, but in the case that they do, a surgeon would perform arthroscopy or reconstruction surgery.

What Happens During an Ankle Sprain

Football Player during Ankle Sprain

Citations:

• Sprained Ankle: "Sprained Ankle - Your Orthopaedic Connection - AAOS." AAOS - Your Orthopaedic Connection. Web. 28 Nov. 2011. .

• Ankle Sprain: "Ankle Sprain Causes, Symptoms, Diagnosis, Treatment and Prevention by EMedicineHealth.com." Web. 28 Nov. 2011. .

• How to treat a Sprained Ankle: "How to Treat a Sprained Ankle." Djtphn1 on HubPages. Web. 28 Nov. 2011. .

Healing Fractures.

Lizzy's Blog.

Types of Bone Fractures

Nathalie's Blog.

Bone Fracture Citations

• Fractures: An Overview

"Fractures: An Overview." Your Orthopaedic Connection. Mar. 2000. Web. 3 Nov. 2011. .

• Why do Bones Break?

"Why Do Bones Break?" About.com. Dec. 2000. Web. 3 Nov. 2011. .

• The Facts About Broken Bones

"The Facts About Broken Bones." KidsHealth. Aug. 2009. Web. 3 Nov. 2011. .

How do Fractures Occur? How Are they diagnosed?

A broken bone is a fracture. Fractures can occur due to high-energy injuries, which occur when a significant amount of force is applied to a bone. Stress fractures occur when a bone has experienced repetitive trauma and worsens over time; these fractures are usually harder to diagnose. In a pathological fracture, the bone is weakened due to osteoporosis (thinning of the bone) or any other disease.

Bone With Osteoporosis:

Stress Fracture of the Hip:

Typical Bone Fractures:

A person would usually know automatically whether a bone is broken; the bone usually snaps or cracks, the area surrounding the fracture would usually swell, and a bone might also puncture through the skin or bend. However, if one does not notice or recognize a fracture automatically, a doctor can diagnose a fracture using an X-ray.