Does the inside of your ankle hurt? Let's learn about the Deltoid Ligament

We've all rolled our ankles at some point in our lives. Maybe it's when we step on a pothole, when we step down a flight of stairs, or when we play sports. But most of the time, when we roll our ankles, we hurt the outside of our ankles. But have you ever seen the inside of our ankles hurt? Well, the special ligament we're going to talk about today may be the cause of such a rare injury. That's the deltoid ligament.

Simply put, what is the Deltoid Ligament?

Okay, let's first look at what these 'ligaments' are. Think of how the bones in our body are connected to each other. Ligaments are strong, rope-like bands that connect those bones together and help keep a joint stable. To be precise, they are made up of connective tissue. They run across joints like the knee, elbow, and ankle, and they help keep those joints stable.

The Deltoid Ligament that we're talking about now is something like that. It's also called the Medial Ligament . 'Medial' means 'inside'. It's located on the inside of our ankle. It's not a single ligament, but actually a strong collection of four ligaments. The name 'deltoid' comes from its triangular shape. So, to put it simply, it's the main, strongest ligament that helps stabilize the inside of your ankle.

Where exactly is this ligament located?

The deltoid ligament passes through the ankle joint and connects several bones in our foot and leg. It is important for us to have a little knowledge about bones.

This ligament has two layers of tissue - one located deep within the ankle and the other located closer to the surface. Together, these two layers provide incredible strength and stability to the ankle joint.

Ankle Sprain and the Deltoid Ligament

An ankle sprain is a very common injury. It occurs when one or more of the ligaments that support the ankle joint are overstretched, bruised, or sometimes torn.

But the most important thing we need to understand here is that most of the time we get a lateral sprain. This means that our foot rolls outward (supination) , damaging the ligaments on the outside of the ankle. This can happen even when we are just walking down the street and losing our balance.

So how does the deltoid ligament get damaged?

Damage to the deltoid ligament is a bit unusual. The reason for this is that, as I mentioned earlier, it is a very strong ligament. To damage it, the foot must roll inward (pronation). This type of injury usually accounts for about 15% of all sprains.

The main ways this ligament can be damaged are:

• Direct Impact: Imagine what would happen if you were playing a sport like football or soccer and someone hit you hard on the outside of your ankle. Your foot would suddenly bend inward. At that point, even this strong deltoid ligament could be stretched or torn.
• Ankle Fracture: The deltoid ligament is often injured when the bone on the outside of the ankle breaks. The force of the fracture on the outside causes the ligament on the inside to be pulled tightly.

Who is most likely to develop this disorder?

These types of injuries are most commonly seen among athletes, especially:

• Football/Soccer players
• Gymnastics athletes

Because in these sports, there is a high chance of sudden changes in direction, jumps, and direct impacts to the foot.

How do we keep this ligament healthy?

The best way to prevent damage to the deltoid ligament is to strengthen the muscles around the ankle. When the muscles are strong, the pressure on the ligaments is reduced.

• Balance-enhancing exercises: Even simple exercises like standing on one leg can help improve ankle stability. This will reduce the risk of sudden foot rollovers.
• Proper footwear: When playing sports, it is essential to wear shoes that are appropriate for the sport and provide good foot support.
• Protective gear: Wearing the necessary protective gear in sports like football can help minimize injuries from direct impacts.

When should you see a doctor?

When you have an ankle injury, it's not a good idea to ignore it and say, "It's just a sprain." Especially if you have the following symptoms, you should definitely see a doctor.

When to see your doctor:

• If you have severe pain on the inside of your ankle after rolling your leg inward.
• If there is swelling or bruising on the inside of the ankle, such as a blue/purple discoloration .
• If you have difficulty standing or walking with weight on the injured leg.

In such a case, the doctor will examine you and, if necessary, refer you for an X-ray or other scan (such as an MRI) to determine the exact severity of the injury. He will then prescribe the best treatment that suits it.