Is an ATFL tear serious?
Clinical Management Of ATFL Rupture The concern would be that they develop chronic instability in the ankle or an anterior ankle impingement long term, which would require surgery. This can occur in patients who either present to physiotherapy late, or are non- compliant with their rehab.
Do complete tears of ATFL heal?
Nonsurgical Treatment Nearly all isolated low ankle sprains can be treated without surgery. Even a complete ligament tear (Grade 3) will heal without surgical repair if it is immobilized and rehabilitated appropriately.
Can you walk with a torn ATFL?
It can become overly stretched in a sprain, partially torn, or even completely torn (ruptured). Small tears of the ATFL will cause pain, tenderness, and swelling, but walking is usually still possible. Larger ATFL tears will cause greater pain, swelling and bruising, and you may have difficulty walking.
How long does an ATFL tear take to heal?
Conclusions/Recommendations: In the studies that we examined, it took at least 6 weeks to 3 months before ligament healing occurred. However, at 6 weeks to 1 year after injury, a large percentage of participants still had objective mechanical laxity and subjective ankle instability.
Does ATFL tear require surgery?
Your surgeon may remove your ATFL and your CFL ankle ligaments from where they attach on your fibula. He or she may make these ligaments shorter. Your surgeon may then reattach these ligaments to your fibula by using small new holes drilled into your bone. Your surgeon may make other repairs, if necessary.
How painful is a torn ATFL?
Pain and tenderness is minimal. Grade 2 is a partial tear. Moderate pain and tenderness is present. Mild to moderate joint instability may be present.
How do you fix a torn ATFL?
Usually, the surgery is performed by tightening the damaged ATFL ligament and reattaching it to the bone so it returns to its original strength and shape. If your ligament is too damaged and will not be strong enough to repair a procedure called a tendon graft may be carried out instead.
What does a torn ATFL feel like?
Anterior talofibular ligament tear symptoms. It’s likely to be a sprain ankle or anterior talofibular ligament tear if: you have pain, tenderness or weakness – often around your ankle, foot, wrist, thumb, knee, leg or back. the injured area is swollen or bruised.
What happens if you tear your ATFL?
Complete tears of the main ligament (ATFL-anterior talofibular ligament) are usually accompanied by more pain, difficulty weightbearing, swelling and discoloration to the outside of the ankle. These ligament injuries require immobilization to allow the ligament to heal primarily.
How painful is a ATFL tear?
What type of pain would I expect if I injured my ATFL? As you ATFL is located just in front of and below the bone which is prominent on the outside of your ankle, you would usually expect noted tenderness and soreness in that area, possibly a difficulty with walking, often swelling and bruising may also occur.
How do I know if I tore my ATFL?
If you have torn your ankle ligament, symptoms include:
- Swelling around your ankle joint.
- A feeling of instability.
- Bruising – sometimes up your lower leg and into your foot.
- Tenderness to touch.
- Pain when putting weight on your ankle.
- Popping sound at the time of injury.