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Common Injuries in Athletics
Anatomy of the Ankle and Lower Leg
The ankle is made up of the tarsal bones in the foot and the tibia and fibula bones in the lower leg. The tibia and fibula attach to the talus bone of the foot, which makes up the ankle joint. The ankle is supported and stabilized by a group of ligaments on either side of the joint. On the inside or medial side of the ankle is a group of ligaments called the deltoid ligaments which is made up of four ligaments.
When an ankle is sprained in an eversion direction, these are the ligaments that get stretched and damaged. On the outside or lateral side of the ankle there is another group of three ligaments that get stretched and damaged when the ankle is sprained in an inversion direction. The bones of the lower leg (tibia and fibula) do not have a whole lot of protection on the anterior side of the leg and this makes them very susceptible to contusions and fractures due to the lack of padding. On the posterior side, the muscles of the posterior compartment provide a good deal of padding and protection. In the ankle there are a number of muscles that pass through the joint on all four sides: medial, lateral, anterior, and posterior. These muscles provide support and movement for the lower leg and ankle joint.
Common Injuries of the Ankle
- Sprain
- Inversion of eversion sprain.
Common in planting and cutting sports, such as football, basketball, or tennis.
Caused by sudden lateral (inversion) or medial(eversion) twist.
Symptoms - Pain, swelling, bruising, unable to bear weight, feel/hear a pop or snap.
- Fractures
- Common in football and basketball.
Caused by excessive twisting or spraining of ankle.
Symptoms - Pain, swelling, bruising, possible deformity, unable to bear weight.
- Strains
- Achilles tendon strain.
Common in running sports, such as track, basketball, or football.
Most often occurs after an ankle sprain or with sudden excessive dorsiflexion of the ankle.
Common Injuries of the Lower Leg
- Leg Contusions
- To shin or muscle.
Common in contact sports, such as football, soccer, or wrestling.
Caused by direct impact to area.
Symptoms - Pain, inflammation, bruising, redness, swelling.
- Muscle Spasms
- Lower leg muscle spasms.
Common in all sports
Caused by fatigue, excess loss of fluid through sweating, and inadequate muscle coordination.
Symptoms – Sudden, violent, involuntary muscle contractions of one or several muscles in leg.
- Strains
- Lower leg muscle strains.
Common in running and jumping sports such as tennis, basketball, football, and track.
Caused by a quick stop with the foot planted flat and sudden extension of the knee.
Symptoms – Pain with stretching and walking, weak plantarflexion of foot.
- Fractures
- Common in contact sports such as football, soccer, and wrestling.
Caused by direct or indirect trauma to tibia or fibula or both.
Symptoms - Bony deformity, severe pain, swelling, loss of function, bruising, or redness.
- Stress Fracture
- Common running sports such as running on hard surfaces over a long period of time.
