What is a sprain?

Question

I am a 43 years old woman having a broken ligament on the top of my foot as a result of a sprained ankle 3 months ago. What is a broken ligament?

Expert Answer

Dr Mathew VargheseNov 04, 2008

Head, Department of Orthopaedics,
St. Stephens Hospital,
New Delhi

The usual expression that we have for a ligament injury is a sprain. Sprains can be of three grades:

Grade 1, when only a few fibers of the ligament are torn.
Grade 2, is a more significant injury when many fibers of the ligament are torn; and
Grade 3, when the ligament is completely torn.

This can perhaps be called a broken ligament.

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