Ankle sprains are a common occurrence in athletes as well as the general population. It is estimated that approximately 25,000 ankle sprains occur per day in the USA which equals to 1 sprain per 10,000 daily1. Although physicians often order radiographs when presented with an ankle sprain, a clinically significant fracture is only present in 15% of cases2. The Ottawa Ankle Rules were established to help clinicians decide whether an X-Ray is indicated following acute injury. These rules have been shown to be highly accurate in screening for ankle fractures and breaks.
An ankle/foot X-ray is required if:
- You are unable to weight bear through your foot both immediately and in the emergency department for 4 steps
- You are sore to touch over the back portion of the bony protrusion on the outside and inside of your ankle (lateral/medial malleolus) or 6cm above.
- You are sore to touch over the bone on the inside of the foot (navicular bone) or below the pinkie toe bone (base of the 5th metatarsal).
If you have tried palpating the above landmarks and you are still unsure, it is best to consult your phsyiotherapist for further examination. You can contact us on 9836 1126 to book an appointment today.
References
- Doherty, C., Delahunt, E., Caulfield, B., Hertel, J., Ryan, J. and Bleakley, C., 2014. The incidence and prevalence of ankle sprain injury: a systematic review and meta-analysis of prospective epidemiological studies. Sports medicine, 44(1), pp.123-140.
- Brooks SC, Potter BT, Rainey JB. Inversion injuries of the ankle: clinical assessment and radiographic review. BMJ 1981; 282: 607-608