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Are you an avid athlete or just a person who likes to keep fit? Chances are you may be one of the 3 million people who annually check into the emergency room for foot or ankle injuries. With symptoms of specific ankle and foot injuries often vague and hard to detect, it’s easy to receive a misdiagnosis. One ankle injury that tends to be misdiagnosed is Snowboarder’s Ankle.
If you’ve ever injured your ankle during snowboarding, there’s a chance you may have had Snowboarder’s Ankle. Out of all types of ankle injuries in snowboarders, 15 percent tend to be of this variety.
Before we begin, we need to tell you that if you suspect you have an injury you need to consult with your primary healthcare provider. They will diagnose your injury and recommend a proper course of treatment.
What is Snowboarder’s Ankle?
Simply put, Snowboarder’s Ankle is a common term for a fracture of the lateral process of the Talus bone. This bone is located above the heel bone, deep in the ankle, and it joins with the shin bone above it to form the ankle joint. When the ankle is dorsiflexed (toes are brought toward the shin) the Talus gets locked in place by the surrounding bones. With sufficient force applied, the Talus will fracture, causing Snowboarder’s Ankle.
What if Snowboarder’s Ankle is Misdiagnosed?
Without a proper diagnosis, Snowboarder’s Ankle can lead to long-term issues. A clinical review published in The Journal of the American Osteopathic Association outlines that a misdiagnosis of this, and other foot and ankle injuries, can in turn create issues like tendinitis and recurrent ankle sprains. It can even have direct links to future issues like arthritis, severe pain, and disability – years after the initial injury.
What are the signs and symptoms of Snowboarder’s Ankle?
The signs and symptoms of this injury are similar to an ankle sprain: the back of the ankle is tender to the touch. It may also be swollen or bruised. Even when an x-ray is taken, the fracture of the Talus bone is not always seen. This can make the specific injury of Snowboarder’s Ankle hard to diagnose.
If pain is then felt weeks after a misdiagnosis, a CT scan should be considered. This will be able to clearly show the fractures of the Talus in detail.
How do I treat Snowboarder’s Ankle?
Recognizing the injury early on in the diagnosing process is important. That is why it is recommended that physicians seek help from orthopedic surgeons to guarantee a proper diagnosis.
The early stages of treatment are similar to treating an ankle sprain: the RICE method is applied:
- Rest the affected area
- Ice the area with a cold pack (Related product: Relief Pak Cold Packs) or cold air compression unit (Related products: Aircast Ankle Cryo Cuff; Game Ready Ankle Wrap)
- Compress the area with a brace or support sleeve (Related product: Uriel Ankle Braces)
- Elevate the affected area above the heart
Depending on the severity of the injury, surgery may be required to repair the fracture.
Once the full fracture is confirmed to be healed by a doctor, the rehabilitation process can begin. Non-weight bearing hydrotherapy exercises is a common rehabilitation treatment. Pool running using a buoyancy belt (Related product: Aquatic Jogger Belts) can allow a patient to regain fitness. Manual therapy can then restore normal ankle movement.
How do I prevent Snowboarder’s Ankle?
Balance training to increase your ankle stability and proprioception can help prevent most ankle injuries, including Snowboarder’s Ankle. (Related product: CanDo Economy Wobble Board). Using an ankle brace while Snowboarding is also highly recommended.
Snowboarder’s Ankle can be tricky to diagnose, but once the diagnosis is confirmed, recovery can begin and the patient can be back on the slopes in no time.
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