Coming to 20 Years of Experience
Ankle sprains make up 50% of sports-related injuries, and are common among athletes and dancers. They usually occur when the ankle is twisted or rolled inwards/outwards under excessive force. This forces all the weight onto the outer edge of the foot, which stresses the ligaments on the outer side of the ankle, causing them to stretch out and lead to tears.
There are 3 types of ankle sprains based on the severity of ligament damage:
Slight stretch and microscopic tear of the ligament fibres with mild tenderness, bruising, and swelling around the ankle. Typically no pain with weightbearing and no instability upon examination.
Partial tear of the ligament with moderate tenderness, bruising, and swelling around the ankle. Mild pain with weightbearing and slight instability upon examination.
Complete tear of the ligament with significant tenderness, bruising, and swelling around the ankle. Severe pain with weightbearing and substantial instability upon examination.
Ankle Ligament Reconstruction is the surgical treatment of ankle injuries or damaged ankle ligaments to restore stability and function.
Co-developed by Orthopaedic Surgeon, Dr James Wee, the Minimally Invasive Surgical (MIS) “Lasso” technique has the distinction of achieving successful outcomes of percutaneous ankle ligament reconstruction with just a single 1cm incision. This is much smaller than 6 – 8cm needed for an open reconstruction.
The ankle ligaments are repaired using a single suture anchor, and the repair is reinforced by recruiting an adjacent band of tissue for additional strength.
Benefits:
Whether it’s a mild ankle sprain or something a little more serious, we treat each ankle sprain with the utmost care by personalising your treatment to your lifestyle needs. This includes:
Initial treatment for ankle sprains include the RICE method and prescription of certain medications to help reduce pain and inflammation of the ankle.
Our orthopaedic specialist may also recommend physiotherapy or the use of a functional brace to control and prevent excessive turning of the ankle.
Surgery is recommended if you develop ankle instability and recurrent sprains that persist after rehabilitative physiotherapy.
Our orthopaedic specialist may recommend minimally invasive surgery (MIS) to facilitate rapid recovery and early return to high-level sports and dance activities.
Dr. Wee will understand your history and thoroughly assess and diagnose your condition.
Dr. Wee will provide a personalised treatment plan specific to your preferences and needs.
Dr. Wee will monitor and review your progress throughout recovery for optimal long-term results.
Appointment
Upon submitting your appointment request, the clinic will contact you within 1 working day to confirm your appointment.
Consultation
Dr. Wee will understand your history and thoroughly assess and diagnose your condition.
Imaging / Investigations
Treatment
Review and Follow up
Dr James Wee is an Senior Consultant Orthopaedic Surgeon with dual-subspecialties in both Hip & Knee and Foot & Ankle Surgery. He is a complete lower limb surgeon, coming to 20 years of clinical experience.
He was trained in the UK and is an expert in complex minimally invasive procedures as well as surgical intervention. He also co-published the “Lasso” Technique for ankle ligament reconstruction, a minimally invasive surgical (MIS) technique using only a single 1cm incision.
Aside from clinical practice, Dr Wee was appointed Adjunct Assistant Professor in Lee Kong Chian School of Medicine, a Senior Lecturer in Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, and has authored multiple international peer-reviewed scientific journal articles.