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- Talk
- 14/07/2021
- UK
Getting Footballers Back to Play: Surgical Options for the Painful Ankle
Description
In this presentation at the BOSTAA Conference, Dr. Rick Brown, a consultant orthopedic surgeon at the Nuffield Orthopedic Centre in Oxford, discusses surgical options for managing painful ankles in footballers to facilitate their return to play. Dr. Brown begins by expressing gratitude to the organizing team and highlights his experience with local football teams in both Oxford and Gloucestershire.
He outlines the key topics of his talk, including the various pathologies associated with ankle pain in athletes, specifically focusing on anterior ankle impingement syndromes. The presentation emphasizes the importance of differentiating between two types of anterior impingement: anterior-lateral and anterior-medial, which present differently and have distinct characteristics. Dr. Brown discusses the clinical evaluation techniques used to diagnose these conditions, including imaging methods such as X-rays and MRIs, as well as the role of local anesthetic injections for confirming diagnoses.
A significant portion of the lecture is devoted to the timing and technique of surgical intervention, which is crucial for athletes aiming to return to competitive sports. Dr. Brown emphasizes that the rehabilitation process begins even before surgery, with a focus on early weight-bearing and conditioning to ensure a quicker recovery. He provides a realistic timeline for rehabilitation milestones post-surgery, including when players can start running, kicking, and participating in contact training.
Dr. Brown also shares results from recent studies on the success rates of different surgical techniques for treating anterior ankle impingement, highlighting that anterior medial impingement tends to have better outcomes than anterior lateral. The talk concludes with reminders about postoperative care, potential complications, and the importance of collaboration with team medical staff to optimize athlete recovery and performance.