Tuesday, January 24, 2012

Dwayne Wade Still Sitting Out With Sprained Ankle


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