Jaguars fans are getting excited about the upcoming game against the New Orleans Saints this Sunday at Jacksonville’s EverBank field. Unfortunately in a recent game against the Jacksonville Jaguars, New York Jets center Nick Mangold was taken out of the game due to injury. Mangold suffered a high ankle sprain—a tear in the ligaments connecting the two bones of the lower leg, the tibia and fibula. Ordinary ankle sprains usually occur as a result of tears to the ligaments connecting the leg bones to the bones of the heel and foot.  This typically happens as a result of the foot rolling inwards toward the center of the body. On the other hand, high ankle sprains are the result of the foot twisting outwards, which can cause ankle fractures if the motion is more violent. As with many traumatic sports injuries, Dr. Vimal Reddy recommends the RICE treatment to keep down the swelling and to reduce pain and inflammation:

• Rest
• Ice
• Compression
• Elevation

To diagnose a high ankle sprain, Dr. Reddy will order an MRI to see if there is separation of the leg bones or fluid leakage from the ankle joint. If the bones are not moving around, the injury is said to be stable and the patient will be back on their feet in days or weeks.  If the tibia and fibula (the two bones of the lower leg) have separated, surgery may be necessary to repair the ligaments and recovery will be much slower. The First Coast Foot and Ankle Clinic looks forward to a victory this weekend for the Jaguars and no injuries on the field.