Reason 20: Ankles

Ankles keep athletic trainers in business.  And I had a seriously cool experience with one today.

As the track student athletic trainer at UVU, we see about 98% chronic injuries.  This-- is a tragedy.  Of course it'd be better if no one got injured, but acute injuries are so much more fun to evaluate and treat.  I am SO SICK of shin splits, stress fractures, and IT Band tendonitis.  And then- lo and behold- AN ANKLE INJURY!  It was a thrower who was playing basketball.  I got to do the evaluation.

Anterior drawer- positive.
Talar tilt- negative.
Manual muscle- positive.
Kleigers- VERY positive.

My diagnosis?  Grade 1+ ankle sprain- partial tear of the anterior talofibular ligament.

The doctor happened to be there and I gave her my report- she agreed.  By now I am guess that zero people reading this (out of my vast, sturdy readership) even care.  But it was SO, SO cool!  This is what you work for, wait for, train for... and to get to evaluate the most studied joint in the body and know exactly what was wrong? SO COOL. After my diagnosis I was able to talk to the athlete about their injury and treatment plan.  It was a very fulfilling day.

To cap off an awesome day of athletic training, we had two wrestlers come in that were involved in a collision.  We had a chin and a cheek that needed stitches.  The doctor is so awesome and let us watch and help out- explaining as she went along the kind of stitches she was using and how she learned it.

So today I am grateful for ankles.  And lacerations.  And athletic training.  I have the coolest major EVER.