Has Anterior Talofibular Tear. Taking Physical Therapy. Do I Need Surgery?

Posted on Thu, 21 Nov 2013

Medically reviewed by Ask A Doctor - 24x7 Medical Review Team

Thu, 21 Nov 2013 Answered on

Mon, 9 Dec 2013 Last reviewed on

Question : Hi, my 12 year old has a complete to near complete tear of the anterior talofibular & has been on crutches for 6weeks now. The doctors have her doing physical therapy but we have not seen any progress. The doctors are just writing it off as a typical sprain. Should I be more concerned? Does my 12 year old need surgery? By the way, my child is very active in sports, one of those sports being competitive gymnastics.

Answered by Dr. Praveen (1 hour later)

Brief Answer: Physical therapy is the preferred choice Detailed Answer: Hi.Thanks for writing n XXXXXXX The initial treatment of all grades of all grades of ankle sprains/tear consist of rest, ice compression, elevation and analgesics for pain relief. Treatment for grade III injuries is more controversial. A comprehensive literature evaluation shows that early functional treatment(physical therapy for 6 weeks) provided the fastest recovery of ankle mobility and earliest return to work and physical activity without affecting late mechanical stability. Functional treatment was complication-free, whereas surgery(rarely indicated) had serious, though infrequent, complications. Weight bearing will be encouraged as soon as it is tolerated. Once the goals of physical therapy are met then he will be independent with a home exercise program with sport-specific activities and gradually return to play.This is a part of the rehab program. Hope this answers your question. Keep us posted for further queries.

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Shanthi.E