Orthopedics is the branch of medicine that focuses on injuries and diseases of the musculoskeletal system -- the body's muscles, skeleton and related tissues, including the spine, joints, ligaments, tendons and nerves.

Ankle Instability

Ankle instability is a condition in which the ligaments (connective tissues) that hold the ankle bones in place become torn or stretched. This weakens your ankle and simple movements, such as walking, standing or running, become painful. Specific symptoms of ankle instability include weakness, swelling, decreased range of motion, constant pain or recurring sprains. To schedule an appointment with Dr. Robert Leland, call 303-440-7941.

 

Treatment Options

When determining your best treatment alternative, Mapleton Hill Orthopedics has one goal – to fix your ankle for the long term. We will first explore all non-surgical options. If your injury occurred within days or weeks, ice therapy may help reduce swelling. Anti-inflammatory medications are also available to decrease swelling or pain.

 

Depending on the extent of the instability, your ankle may benefit from being immobilized in a specially fitted shoe or with a simple lace-up ankle brace. An ankle brace can be over-the-counter or we may customize it to maximize the impact on your specific problem. Strengthening exercises and physical therapy can also be important in providing pain relief.

 

If these non-operative alternatives do not ease your pain and control your problem, surgery may be your best treatment option. At Mapleton Hill, we offer a comprehensive range of surgical options to repair ligaments and prevent persistent sprains.

 

Depending on the results of your examination, we may recommend lateral ankle ligament reconstruction. Various reconstruction techniques exist. In order to achieve an optimal result, it is imperative to “match” the surgery to the patient and perform an anatomic reconstruction. This may consist of tightening the existing ligaments (an approach referred to as “modified Brostrom”) or replacing the deficient ligaments with a free tendon graft.

 

If any physical abnormalities exist which are contributing to the instability, it is also necessary to correct these in order to achieve long-term success.

 

Our comprehensive treatment approach is to focus first on determining the causes of your problem and then identify your best treatment option, whether surgical or non-surgical. We are dedicated to thorough education of our patients. Treatment decisions are not easy and we want to provide you with all the resources necessary to make the decision that is best for you.

 

Highly Specialized Team

Dr. Robert Leland is a board certified orthopaedic surgeon specializing in the treatment of routine and complex disorders of the foot and ankle. He can treat orthopaedic trauma as well as general conditions. He has more than 14 years experience in treating ankle or foot arthritis. Dr. Leland is Boulder’s only fellowship trained orthopaedic foot and ankle specialist, having received advanced training at Baylor University and in Germany. For a complete biography for Dr. Leland, click here.

 

Office Locations and Appointment Scheduling

Mapleton Hill Orthopaedics (Broomfield)

Buffalo Ridge Medical Center

16677 Lowell Blvd.

Broomfield, CO 80023

 

Mapleton Hill Orthopaedics (Boulder)

975 North Street, Suite 201

Boulder, CO 80304

 

To schedule an appointment with Dr. Leland, call 303-440-7941.

 

Frequently Asked Questions

What causes ankle instability? The most common causes of chronic ankle instability are a sprained ankle or repeated strains that don’t heal properly. The ligaments or surrounding muscles remain weak, which leads to additional injuries and/or chronic ankle instability. If left untreated, ankle instability can lead to long-term damage.

 

How do I know if I have ankle instability?

A diagnosis is usually made by physically examining the ankle and using x-rays to make sure the ankle is not fractured. The doctor will move your ankle in different positions in order to determine which ligament has been injured. “Stress” x-rays are often taken for patients with suspected ankle instability. To do this, the doctor or technician stretches the ankle joint while the x-ray is taken to see if the pressure moves the bones apart. Additional tests, such as an MRI, may also be used to look for other related problems, such as osteochondral lesions, which are tears in the cartilage or bone.