2023-04-17 17:52:11
Chopart’s sprain is more common than you think, but often goes unnoticed. Because ? Many of us have no idea what it is and confuse it with a mild ankle sprain. A deleterious self-diagnosis, insofar as this ligament damage must be the subject of particular attention. How to recognize and deal with it? Responses from Dr. Herve Colladosports doctor and vice-president of the French Society of Sports Traumatology (SFTS).
Definition: what is a Chopart sprain and where is this joint located?
“The sprain of the joint space of Chopart does not concern the ankle, but the midfoot. We therefore sometimes speak of a mediotarsal sprain”, specifies the doctor straight away.
Indeed, the Chopart joint makes the link between the bones of the posterior tarsus and those of the anterior tarsus of the foot. Its role is essential: it serves as a shock absorber when walking and allowsadapt the position of the foot in relation to the ground. “But it is stabilized by several ligaments which can be the seat of sprains”, indicates Dr. Collado.
Like all sprains, Chopart sprains can be more or less serious. we distinguish :
- sprains of the line space benign Chopartwhich correspond to a stretching of the ligaments;
- average Chopart sprainswhich correspond to an elongation of the ligaments
- et severe Chopart sprainswhich correspond to a tearing of the ligaments.
Most often they are benign sprains, because the Chopart joint has little amplitude, but the management is often more complex than a sprained ankle for example, underlines the expert.
What is the difference with a sprained ankle or a fracture?
As you will have understood, ankle sprain, Chopart’s joint sprain and ankle fracture are all three injuries that can cause pain, swelling and difficulty moving around. .
However, Chopart’s sprained line spacing occurs at the level of l’articulation de Chopartlocated between the midfoot and the forefoot, while the ankle sprain occurs at the level of the ankle joint, located between the leg and the foot. Both occur as a result of damage to the ligaments, while a fracture involves a break or crack in the bones.
In some cases, these injuries can occur simultaneously : “one can, for example, suffer from an isolated ankle sprain, or from an ankle sprain associated with a sprain of the joint line of Chopart”, specifies Dr. Collado.
What causes a midtarsal sprain?
The mechanisms underlying Chopart’s joint joint sprain are similar to those of ankle sprain. Most often, this type of sprain follows a shock or a fall forward with twisting of the footsuch as when you miss a step, when you wear your heels too high and you fall, when you practice a sports activity, etc.
What symptoms should alert?
A Chopart sprain usually manifests as severe localized pain in the instep and associated with:
- and swelling et inflammation around the joint;
- the presence ofecchymose(s) at the joint;
- and more or less significant difficulty in walkingdepending on the severity of the sprain.
At the time of trauma, patients may also hear a sudden crack characteristic.
In video: “How to recognize a sprain? »
What is the healing time for a Chopart joint sprain?
The recovery time is variable, answers Dr. Collado. She depends in particular on the ligaments affected, the severity of the sprain and the overall health of the patients. Not to mention the possible complications, such as bone tearing. In mild sprains, symptoms usually subside within a month (two to four weeks). In case of average sprain, it is necessary to count two to three months before being able to move his foot without pain or stiffness. And in the event of a severe sprain, recovery can take several months.
Treatment: Medication, splint, physiotherapy… How to take care of this type of sprain?
“Management of Chopart’s joint sprain depends on its degree of severity and the ligaments affected warns Dr. Collado. In any case, it is necessary avoid leaning on the groundand set up the RICE protocol (rest, ice, compression and elevation) as soon as possible, to limit edema and hematoma.
Which drugs, which splint or boot?
To relieve pain, the doctor may prescribe painkillers. “We avoid non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) such as ibuprofen or naproxen”, specifies the doctor.
A flexible splint intended to maintain the foot in a neutral position (neither flexion nor extension) is also prescribed. And the expert to specify: “In the event of severe sprain, or associated with a sprain of the ankle, one can prefer a walking boot specific that can be removed to wash and possibly to sleep.
How is rehabilitation going? How long does it last?
“You have to start physiotherapy sessions as soon as possible and mobilize the joint to limit stiffness and the onset of early osteoarthritis insists Dr. Collado. In the program ? Draining massages and physiotherapy exercises to gradually regain support on your foot.
Good to know: corticosteroid injections can be proposed in case of persistent pain. An additional imaging assessment may also be requested to check for fractures or other injuries which would have gone unnoticed during the interrogation, the clinical examination and the initial diagnosis.
What are the possible consequences?
In some cases, a regional pain syndrome can set in: the famous algoneurodystrophie. But complications are still rare. “Whether you are very athletic or not, a first episode of well-treated Chopart sprain does not generally lead to no particular sequelae. The problem is if the person does not observe his treatment long enough, or multiplies the sprains. She comes to have what is called an “unstable” ankle : the ligaments are so damaged that rehabilitation is no longer enough. The only solution ? A ligamentoplastie under arthroscopy, that is to say a surgical operation aiming to redo the ligaments surgically to stabilize the ankle and limit the risk of early osteoarthritis. »
1681770691
#Choparts #sprain #definition #symptoms #treatment #rehabilitation