27/01/2026
What happens to the ankle after 18 days of immobilization, due to a sprain? 🤔👟
📍 Research by Perera et al. (2025, case study), using advanced MRI techniques, reveals what occurs in the tissues (muscles, bones, fascia) after an ankle sprain and 18 days of immobilization in an immobilization boot.
📉 Muscle Atrophy (Tissue Loss):
• Re**us Femoris: -12%
• Biceps Femoris (Short head): -2.53%
• Semimembranosus: -0.57%
• Vastus Medialis: -0.29%
• Soleus: -11.2%
• Phalangeal Extensor (Extensor Digitorum): -8.22%
• Tibialis Posterior: -7.10%
• Peroneals: -6.11%
• Medial Gastrocnemius: -2.27%
📈 Muscle Hypertrophy (Compensation):
• Semitendinosus: +15.32%
• Biceps Femoris (Long head): +8.76%
• Gracilis: +8.76%
• Adductor Magnus: +5.37%
• Vastus Lateralis & Intermedius: +4.4%
• Popliteus: +12.11%
• Tibialis Anterior: +3.87%
🔹 Changes in Bone & Fascia:
• Bone Loss: A decrease in volume was observed in the femur (-2.22%) and tibia (-2.47%).
• Fascial Thickening, ranging from 8.92% to 10.35%.
⚠️ The Risk: These changes lead to a loss of stability, disrupted load transfer, and functional issues. Standard clinical tests often "miss" these crucial details.
✅ Clinical Implications: Simply "strengthening the leg" after the boot is removed is not enough. Targeted and individualized rehabilitation is required, focusing on the specific tissues involved (muscles, bones, fascia) and based on precise pre-rehabilitation measurements.
📩 Don’t leave your recovery to chance. Contact us, to design your personalized rehabilitation plan together.