Several weeks after Ironman St. George, I had an MRI exam on my right ankle/heal. The initial read of the MRI was a rupture or tear of the achilles tendon. After additional scans, x-rays, and physical examinations, orthopedic surgeons from two different medical groups revised the diagnosis to torn lateral ankle ligaments. Both surgeons agreed that, although the injury was revealed during the Ironman, the condition likely predated the event perhaps by several years.
I’ve broken my right ankle twice – once while playing soccer in 8th grade and once while playing basketball in college. I’m told each break likely lengthened the lateral ligaments in my ankle. The stretched ligaments made me prone to ankle sprains. Due to my loose ankle, I suffered many sprains in the subsequent 20+ years and with each sprain the ligaments became more and more stretched out. What I now know is the musculature of my ankle was likely my sole source of ankle stability as an adult and muscle fatigue revealed the symptoms of my torn ankle ligaments.
My doctors recommended ligament reconstruction surgery. The prognosis is very good. The procedure, called the modified brostrom procedure, has a very high success rate and the prognosis after the surgery is ankle stability and a return to an active lifestyle. I'm under the care of a top orthopedic surgeon and am very optimistic. I underwent surgery on July 29, 2010.
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