In this week’s episode of the Sports Medicine Weekly Podcast, Dr. Brian Cole is joined by Joshua James, DPT, CSCS from Rush Physical Therapy to discuss high ankle sprains, including how they are diagnosed and the best treatments to help athletes recover.

What is a high ankle sprain?

A high ankle sprain involves a tear, or damage to, the high ankle ligaments that connect the tibia to the fibula. These ligaments are known as syndesmosis. You might hear your high ankle sprain called a syndesmotic injury.

What is the difference between high and low ankle sprains?

The differences between a high ankle sprain and a low ankle sprain do not just pertain to location. High ankle sprains involve turning inward or outward while your foot is flexed up, while most low ankle sprains occur when the ankle rolls inward or outward. Unlike high ankle sprains, low ankle sprains do not involve the high ankle ligaments. Low ankle sprains are what most of us think of when we hear someone has a sprained ankle.

To learn more about High Ankle Sprains be sure to tune into this week’s episode of the Sports Medicine Weekly Podcast.