Ankle injuries are often associated with sport injuries but one does not need to be an athlete in order to twist and hurt it his ankle. Simple things such walking on a rough surface can cause a debilitating and painful sprain. The most often occuring ankle injuries are sprains fractures.
An ankle joint injury can happen to any person independent of his age. However, men between fifteen and twenty-four years of age show higher risks to develop ankle injuries. In contrast women above thirty have higher risks than men. Around half of all ankle injuries happen during an athletic activity. While fractures involve bones and ligaments in the ankle, the affected person can also strain or tear a tendon.
An ankle injury occurs when the joint of the ankle is contorted too far out of its regular position. The condition develops mostly during activities related to sports. However the condition can develop even while walking on an irregular surface since such areas force the ankle and the foot into a position that is not natural. Another factor that may lead to the condition is the unusual position of the ankle when a person with loose-fitting clogs, sandals or high-heeled shoes walks. Other factors likely to trigger an ankle injury include rotating the ankle, rolling or contorting the ankle, an abrupt impact including during a car collision, landing after a jump in an uncomfortable position, and falling or slipping. The symptoms of a rupture or fracture and of a twist are very alike and comprise the inability to carry weight or walk on the damaged joint, swelling, bruising, often sudden and sharp pain. That explains why a person should immediately have a medical visit to have the injury assessed.
If the injury affects only the ankle’s ligaments, no surgery is necessary. A temporary immobilisation with a plaster-splint, elevation, local cryotherapy and decongestive medication can be applied. In most cases, a preventive blood thinning needs to be prescribed to prevent the risk of thrombosis that can be caused by the immobilisation. After six weeks, a stable ligament recovery can be assumed. If the ankle injury also causes a fracture of the lower leg bones, in most cases a surgery is necessary to stabilise with plates and screws. A long-term consequence, for example following a meniscus injury, is a higher risk of arthrosis.
Several years of work in academia, medical practice and finally commercialization make it possible to provide an end-to-end process to help users to “find the appropriate medical help based on their present symptoms”. Below you will find a short explanation, showing you which part of the platform will help you best in finding the appropriate medical support.
Proceed as follows to enter your current symptoms.
Click on the appropriate body part on the picture. Select one/multiple symptoms corresponding to your complaint.
You can also add symptoms by typing your medical complaint in the search box and selecting the best matching suggestion.
Note: Your information will be kept anonymously.
Once you have selected all applicable symptoms, click the “analyze disease pattern”-button.
Accordingly, you will get a list of possible diseases and matching doctor categories who can further help you.
You can inform yourself about the possible diseases by reading the related information. But you can also return to the previous step and add more symptoms or delete already added ones to further narrow down your disease pattern.
Click on the desired doctor category to find a doctor who can help you.
If you are logged in with your profile, you will be displayed the appropriate doctors in your area. Otherwise you can enter an address in the “address” field and you will be displayed a doctor’s list around that specified address.
You will receive further information about the displayed doctors when you press on “details”.
Online bookable doctors in your area will be indicated with the notation “Book appointment” or “Book externally”, additionally they will be displayed on top of the list for your convenience.
Click on “Book appointment” to start the online appointment booking process with the desired doctor.
Please select an available appointment. “Green“ appointments are booked directly. “Red“ appointments need to be confirmed by the doctor.
Enter your general personal and health information.
Enter your present medical symptoms.
Enter your mobile phone number to identify yourself and you can finalize the appointment booking.
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