Ankle sprains are a common injury that cause damage to the ligaments around the ankle. The most commonly injured ligament is the lateral ligament complex which is composed of the anterior talofibular ligament (ATFL) , calcaneofibular ligament (CFL) and posterior talofibular ligament (PTFL). In many cases the injury to the ligaments is incomplete and/or the ligaments heal in a manner that stability is restored to the ankle joint. In some cases however the ligaments heal poorly and the result is an unstable ankle joint.
The symptoms of ankle instability are pain, swelling, recurrent ankle sprains and ankle weakness. Initial treatment is a program of exercises and bracing to attempt to control the instability by utilizing secondary stabilizers. If this fails then surgical treatment is recommended.