Ankle sprains linked with osteoarthritis

Reported by Susan Aldridge, PhD, medical journalist

Having a sprained ankle could predispose a patient to developing osteoarthritis, according to a new study.
Injuries to a joint can increase the risk of osteoarthritis later on. Researchers at the University of Basel in Switzerland have been looking at the type of ligament injury that is likely to develop into post-traumatic ankle arthritis. They looked at 268 patients of whom 47 had chronic ankle instability with recurrent sprains.

They found that there was a clear link between sprains and arthritis and that there could be a 21 year gap, on average, between the sprain occurring and the development of arthritis. Most often, the sprains had arisen from playing sport. The findings suggest that rehabilitation is very important after a sports injury to the ankle to prevent disability from arthritis in later life.

Source
Foot and Ankle Society Meeting 18th February 2005