Monthly Archives - February 2022

When Should I See A Doctor For My Ankle Sprain?- Dr Victor Seah

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What is an Ankle Sprain?

Ankle sprains are one of the most common injuries, affecting around 1 in 10 people at some point in their lives. An ankle sprain occurs when you twist or turn your foot and ankle too far in one direction, causing damage to the ligaments that hold your bones together. Ankle sprains can be caused by a variety of things—
  • your bodyweight shifting while you're standing on your feet (for example, slipping off a step),
  • landing awkwardly after jumping or falling from something high up like a skateboard ramp;
  • stepping off an uneven surface such as stairs; or
  • being hit by another person's foot during sports activities such as football or basketball.

Diagnosis of Ankle Sprain

When a person has an ankle sprain, the doctor will perform a physical examination. The doctor will check for tenderness and swelling around the joint, as well as listen to your description of how you injured yourself. If there are no other injuries present, this is usually enough to make a diagnosis of an ankle sprain. However, if there are other injuries or if they don't seem consistent with just an ankle sprain (for example if there is significant bruising), imaging tests like X-rays or MRI scans may be ordered by your doctor so they can get more information about what happened during injury and determine whether anything else needs treatment as well.

Treatment of Ankle Sprain

  • Rest and Ice
  • Compression
  • Elevation
  • Physical therapy (PT) is an important part of the recovery process, as it helps to strengthen muscles around your ankle. PT may also include exercises to improve mobility and balance. If you have a severe sprain or multiple sprains, you may need to wear a cast or brace for several weeks while your injury heals.

Non-Surgical Options for Ankle Sprain

  • Pain relievers: Pain relievers can be used to reduce pain and swelling. They may also help you relax and sleep better, which will speed up recovery time.
  • Padding and taping: Padding helps protect your ankle from further injury while taping supports it during activities such as walking or running. If you have a mild sprain, this method may be all that is needed to restore stability in your ankle joint until it heals completely on its own over time without surgery being required at all!
  • Exercises: Exercises are another option for treating an unstable ankle injury since they improve strength around joints by strengthening muscles around them while also improving balance so they don't become injured again easily in future accidents like tripping over something accidentally (which happens often!).

Surgical Options for Ankle Sprain

  • Arthroscopic surgery: This is a minimally invasive procedure, which involves making small incisions in the skin and inserting special instruments through them. The surgeon can then operate on the ankle joint without having to make large cuts on either side of it.
  • Open surgery: This type of operation involves making larger cuts in order for them to access all parts of your ankle joint that need attention. It's usually done if you have severe damage or arthritis in one or both ankles, as well as if there are multiple fractures involved in your injury.
  • Osteotomy: An osteotomy (also known as an osteotomy) is when doctors cut into bone so that it can be realigned back into place during recovery time after surgery has been completed

Preventing Ankle Sprain

  • Wear comfortable shoes.
  • Maintain a healthy weight.
  • Avoid high heels and other types of footwear that can cause you to lose your balance or twist your ankle, such as flip-flops or clogs with a thick sole and no heel support.
Dr Victor Seah is an orthopaedic surgeon whose main area of subspecialty is in are in trauma/fractures and foot and ankle surgeries. For a comprehensive assessment of your foot and ankle conditions, make an appointment to consult Dr Seah at +65 67340378 now!  
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Treatment Options for Achilles Tendinitis in Singapore- Dr Victor Seah

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What is Achilles Tendinitis?

Achilles tendinitis is a condition that causes pain and inflammation of the Achilles tendon. The Achilles tendon connects your calf muscles to your heel bone, allowing you to raise up on your toes. It's located at the back of your ankle, where it joins with your calf muscle. Tendinitis occurs when there is too much stress placed on this area of your body, causing small tears in the tissue surrounding the tendon. This can lead to swelling and pain in this area as well as stiffness or tightness when trying to move around with any sort of speed or forcefulness (such as running).

Diagnosis of Achilles Tendinitis

To diagnose the condition, your doctor will perform a physical examination. He or she may also order imaging tests such as X-rays and MRI scans to determine if you have Achilles tendinitis.

Treatment Options for Achilles Tendinitis in Singapore

The treatment options for Achilles tendinitis in Singapore include:
  • Non-surgical Options - These include rest, physical therapy and medications.
  • Surgical Options - These include arthroscopic surgery or open surgery (which involves an incision).

Non-surgical Treatment Options for Achilles Tendinitis in Singapore

Non-surgical treatment options for Achilles tendinitis in Singapore include:
  • Pain Relievers. Over-the-counter pain relievers such as acetaminophen (Tylenol) or ibuprofen (Advil) can help reduce inflammation, but they do not improve the condition of your Achilles tendon. If you have severe pain and swelling, your doctor may prescribe stronger medications that are taken by mouth or injected into a vein through an IV line. These drugs include corticosteroids such as prednisone and nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), such as indomethacin or ketorolac tromethamine (Toradol).

Surgical Treatment Options for Achilles Tendinitis in Singapore

  • Arthrodesis is a surgical procedure that involves fusing the Achilles tendon to the bone. This procedure can be performed using either an open incision or arthroscopic technique. If you're considering arthrodesis for your Achilles tendinitis, you should know that it has been shown to reduce pain and improve function in studies, but it's also associated with some risks such as infection and stiffness in the ankle joint.
  • Osteotomy involves cutting a piece of bone out of your heel and moving it forward so that it covers part of your Achilles tendon--this reduces stress on this area and helps prevent further damage from occurring over time. Recovery After Achilles Tendinitis Surgery
After the surgery, you must rest your ankle for at least six weeks. Your doctor will tell you when it is safe to begin physical therapy exercises. You may be given a brace or cast to wear during this time. The goal of physical therapy is to help strengthen the calf muscles and improve range of motion in your ankle joint. Physical therapists use several methods to help people recover from Achilles tendinitis surgery:
  • Exercises that stretch and strengthen muscles around the affected area (eccentric strengthening)
  • Heat treatments
  • Ice packs applied directly onto injured tissue

Preventing Achilles Tendinitis

  • Wear comfortable shoes.
  • Avoid high heels and flip flops, which can cause you to over-pronate, or roll your foot inward. This puts extra stress on the Achilles tendon and increases your risk of developing tendonitis.
  • Maintain a healthy weight: Being overweight or obese puts more pressure on the tendons in your feet and legs, increasing your risk of developing this condition
Dr Victor Seah is an orthopaedic surgeon whose main area of subspecialty is in are in trauma/fractures and foot and ankle surgeries. For a comprehensive assessment of your foot and ankle conditions, make an appointment to consult Dr Seah at +65 67340378 now!  
Read more...