Last Friday, Miami Heat star Dwayne Wade added yet another
injury to his list. After landing
awkwardly on his ankle while going after a loose ball, Wade left the game and
didn’t come back. Last night he sat out
again as the Heat took on the Spurs. The
Heat were able to defeat the Spurs easily without Dwayne Wade, who remains out
with a sprained ankle indefinitely.
Ankle sprains are a common injury, particularly in
athletes. Most commonly an ankle sprain
occurs from an inversion injury, where the ankle is forced to roll outward over
a stationary foot. Less frequently, a
medial sprain may occur where the ankle rolls medially (towards the middle of
the body).
Inversion injuries such as Dwayne Wade suffered from on
Friday can result in a number of different injury patterns, and can frequently
involve a fracture of one or more bones of the ankle or foot. Thankfully, the x-rays were negative for
fracture in this case.
The lateral ligaments of the ankle include the anterior
talofibular ligament, the calcaneofibular ligament, and the posterior
talofibular ligament. In a lateral ankle
sprain, one or more of these ligaments may be injured. Generally speaking, the anterior talofibular
ligament is injured first, followed by the calcaneofibular ligament. The posterior talofibular ligament is less
frequently included in these types of injuries.
The degree of the sprain is often defined as well. The degree of the sprain refers to the amount
of damage to the injured ligament. If
the ligament is not torn at all, it is considered a first degree sprain. In second degree sprains, a partial tear may
be seen. In third degree sprains, the
ligament is entirely ruptured and may even require surgical repair in some
cases. The degree of the sprain is often
evaluated with an MRI.
In Dwayne Wade’s case, he is walking without a cast or
surgical boot. This is a good sign, as
it indicates that the sprain is less severe.
Still, this injury comes as Dwayne Wade was already nursing a sore left
foot and a muscle strain in the calf.
Rehabilitation of these injuries is certainly a concern for the Miami
Heat, who are searching for a championship in this abbreviated season. While they seem to be able to still win with
Dwayne Wade on the sidelines, it begs the question if they can continue to win
in the post-season without the star guard.
Central Florida Foot & Ankle Center, LLC
101 6th Street N.W.
Winter Haven, FL 33881
Phone: 863-299-4551
www.FLFootandAnkle.com
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