HOME HELP CONTACT US SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH TABLE OF CONTENTS		QUICK SEARCH:   [advanced] Author: Keyword(s): Year:  Vol:  Page:
Sign In to gain access to subscriptions and/or personal tools.

This Article Full Text (PDF) Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Citation Map Services Email this article to a friend Similar articles in this journal Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Request Permissions Request Reprints Citing Articles Citing Articles via HighWire Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Nitz, A. J. Articles by Kersey, D. Search for Related Content PubMed Articles by Nitz, A. J. Articles by Kersey, D.

Nerve injury and Grades II and III ankle sprains

Department of Physical Therapy, University of Kentucky Medical Center, Lexington, Kentucky

Joseph J. Dobner

Department of Orthopedics, University of Kentucky Medical Center, Lexington, Kentucky

Douglas Kersey

Physical Therapy Clinic, Ireland Army Hospital, Fort Knox, Kentucky, University of Kentucky Medical Center, Lexington, Kentucky

Nerve injuries associated with inversion sprains of the ankle have been mentioned in the literature on a case presentation basis only. Sixty-six consecutive patients with Grade II (30) and Grade III (36) ankle sprains were examined by electromyography 2 weeks after injury to determine the presence and distribution of nerve inju ries. Ankle active range of motion (AROM) and the number of weeks postinjury when the patient could heel/toe walk and return to full activity were also noted. Five patients (17%) with Grade II sprains had mild peroneal nerve injury and three (10%) injured the tibial nerve. Clinical measurements were normal by the end of the second week. Thirty-one patients (86%) with Grade III sprains injured their peroneal nerve, while 30 (83%) incurred posterior tibial nerve injury. Ankle AROM was impaired, and heel/toe walking (5.1 weeks) and return to full activity (5.3 weeks) were markedly pro longed. The likely cause of this injury is considered to be a mild nerve traction or a hematoma in the epineural sheath at the bifurcation of the sciatic nerve into pero neal and posterior tibial branches. This report indicates that a consistently high percentage of patients with Grade III ankle sprains sustain a significant injury to both motor nerves in the leg and that rehabilitation time is markedly prolonged.

This article has been cited by other articles:

				P. J. O'Neill, B. G. Parks, R. Walsh, L. M. Simmons, and S. D. Miller Excursion and Strain of the Superficial Peroneal Nerve During Inversion Ankle Sprain J. Bone Joint Surg. Am., May 1, 2007; 89(5): 979 - 986. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				D. H. Richie Jr. Effects of Foot Orthoses on Patients with Chronic Ankle Instability J Am Podiatr Med Assoc, January 1, 2007; 97(1): 19 - 30. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				R M Palmieri, C D Ingersoll, M A Hoffman, M L Cordova, D A Porter, J E Edwards, J P Babington, B A Krause, and M B Stone Arthrogenic muscle response to a simulated ankle joint effusion Br. J. Sports Med., February 1, 2004; 38(1): 26 - 30. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				A. Dhawan and W. C. Doukas Acute Compartment Syndrome of the Foot Following an Inversion Injury of the Ankle with Disruption of the Anterior Tibial Artery: A Case Report J. Bone Joint Surg. Am., March 11, 2003; 85(3): 528 - 532. [Full Text] [PDF]

				R. Lofvenberg, J. Karrholm, G. Sundelin, and O. Ahlgren Prolonged Reaction Time in Patients with Chronic Lateral Instability of the Ankle Am. J. Sports Med., July 1, 1995; 23(4): 414 - 417. [Abstract] [PDF]