Return to Run: Lateral Ankle Sprain with Sural Nerve Involvement - A Case Study

Abstract

Lateral ankle sprains are the most common injuries sustained by athletes. The sprains not only cause ligamentous damage, but also affects the musculotendinous and nervous tissue around the lateral ankle complex. In order to render appropriate rehabilitation, a proper evaluation is required. Injury to the sural nerve in association with lateral ankle sprain is rarely mentioned in the literatures. However, sural nerve injury can occur more frequently than commonly expected, leading to misdiagnosis and mistreated component of ankle sprains. There is a lack of literature relating the whole scenario of lateral ankle injury involving ligament sprain, joint dysfunction, peroneal muscle strains, sural nerve involvement and physiotherapy management. Thus, the present study is conducted to highlight the outcomes of a patient with lateral ankle sprain involving sural nerve pathology as well as describes the physiotherapy management including mobilisation of the joint, neural mobilisation and balance exercise training. This case study demonstrates an ankle inversion injury of 22 year old male while playing football. Detailed examination and physiotherapy management were carried out for 5 visits over 4-weeks period. Outcome measures were compared between the baseline and final visit. The patient exhibited significant improvement and back to run. Thus, suggesting the need of neural tissue examination on patients with lateral ankle sprains.