The ankle carries the entire body’s weight through a joint smaller than a fist, and it does it while absorbing the rotation and impact of every step. That combination makes ankle injuries both extremely common and easy to underestimate, which is why a sprain that was walked off frequently becomes a chronically unstable ankle years later.

Steven Struhl, MD is board certified in orthopedic surgery and holds separate board certification in sports medicine, earned after a fellowship at Penn State University. He has served as a medical consultant to the United States Open tennis tournament and as medical director for the physical therapy practice treating the Brooklyn Nets, and he has practiced in New York since 1991. He treats ankle injuries and performs ankle surgery at his Manhattan and Westchester offices.

Ankle Conditions Treated in NYC and Westchester

Due to the precarious position of the ankle, any injury or dysfunction can impact your mobility. Whether it’s a sports injury or a degenerative condition, a quick diagnosis and effective treatment are needed to give you pain relief and restore function. Dr. Struhl and our team at Shoulders & Knees orthopedic clinic offer cutting-edge treatments for a wide variety of ankle injuries and conditions, including:

How Ankle Injuries Are Evaluated

Most ankle injuries are sprains and most sprains recover with the right rehabilitation. The ones worth examining carefully are the ones that have not recovered, because a persistently painful or unstable ankle several months after a sprain frequently has something else going on, most often a cartilage injury on the surface of the talus or ligament damage that healed loose rather than tight.

Examination establishes which ligaments are involved and whether the joint is stable. Radiographs exclude fracture and show arthritis and alignment. MRI is added when symptoms persist beyond the expected recovery, since it identifies the cartilage and tendon injuries that plain films cannot show. Ankle problems evaluated at three months are considerably more straightforward to treat than the same problems at three years.

Schedule an Ankle Evaluation in New York City

An ankle that still swells, gives way, or hurts months after an injury has usually not simply failed to heal, it has a specific problem that has not been identified yet. Dr. Struhl evaluates ankle injuries at his Manhattan and Westchester offices. Contact our office to schedule an appointment.