If you’ve sprained your ankle more times than you can count, feel it “give way” on uneven ground, or live in constant fear of the next rollover, you’re not alone. Chronic ankle instability affects thousands of active adults in the Pittsburgh area every year – from weekend warriors and runners to busy parents chasing kids around Monroeville and Murrysville.
You’ve probably already tried the braces, the balance boards, the months of dedicated physical therapy. And yet... you’re still rolling your ankle on the slightest crack in the sidewalk.
When conservative treatment fails, surgery becomes the most reliable path back to stability > without the gimmicks.
What is Chronic Ankle Instability?
Chronic ankle instability develops when the lateral ligaments (primarily the ATFL and CFL) never heal properly after repeated sprains. Scar tissue forms, but it’s weak and stretchy. The ankle loses its natural “brakes,” leading to:
- Repeated giving-way episodes
- Persistent swelling and pain
- Early ankle arthritis (yes, even in your 30s or 40s)
- Loss of confidence in sports, hiking, or even daily activities
When Is It Time to Consider Surgery?
Most patients come to me after 6–12 months of high-quality physical therapy and bracing have failed. The tipping points I hear every week:
“I can’t trust my ankle on trails anymore.” “I rolled it again just stepping off a curb.”
“I’m tired of living in a brace.”
If that sounds like you, keep reading, because the right surgery can completely change your life.
The Gold Standard: Modified Broström-Gould Procedure (The Surgery I Perform)
For over 90% of my chronic instability patients, I perform a modified Broström-Gould lateral ligament reconstruction – the most studied and reliable procedure in orthopaedic literature for the past 40+ years.
Here’s what sets my approach apart in 2025:
- I use your own tissue (no cadaver grafts, no synthetic implants)
- I perform an anatomic repair with reinforcement from the inferior extensor retinaculum (the “Gould modification”) for extra strength
- My specific technique allows weight-bearing in a walking boot within 1–2 weeks
- Formal physical therapy typically begins at 3 to 4 weeks
- Most patients are back to jogging/light sports by 3 to 4 months and full activities by 5 months
Compare that to the old protocols that kept people non-weight-bearing for 6–8 weeks – my patients walk out of the recovery room happier, heal faster, and have lower stiffness rates.
Why I Do NOT Use the Arthrex InternalBrace™ (Even Though Everyone Asks)
Yes, I get asked about the InternalBrace every single week. It’s heavily marketed, sounds cutting-edge, and promises “faster return to sport.”
Here’s the truth after treating dozens of complications from it:
The InternalBrace is essentially a thick non-absorbable suture tape anchored with implants that acts like an internal seatbelt. While it works well in some professional athletes with perfect biology and elite rehab teams, in real-world patients it carries significant risks:
- Over-tightening → chronic stiffness and loss of normal ankle motion
- Chronic impingement and synovitis (persistent swelling/pain)
- Implant prominence requiring hardware removal surgery
- Misplacement of anchors → damage to nearby structures
- Higher re-rupture rates when the repair ultimately fails
I’ve personally revised many failed InternalBrace procedures from other offices. Once that non-absorbable tape is in there, it’s extremely difficult to revise if problems arise.
I achieve the same (or better) stability and faster return to weight-bearing without exposing my patients to these unnecessary risks.
Real Patient Results from Prisk Orthopaedics and Wellness
“Dr. Prisk fixed my ankle after 12 years of instability and three prior surgeries elsewhere (including an InternalBrace that had to be removed). I was walking in a boot at 10 days and running again at 4 months. Best decision I ever made.” – M.L., Murrysville (2025 patient)
“I was terrified of being non-weight-bearing for months. Dr. Prisk had me walking at 12 days post-op. I was back on the pickleball court by 3 months.” – K.S., Monroeville (2025 patient)
“I was told that as a ballet dancer, I couldn’t have ankle ligament surgery. I was told I would be too stiff. Dr. Prisk’s gave me confidence and I am back to dancing en pointe for the PBT. Thank You Dr. Prisk!” -J.A., Pittsburgh, PA (2024 patient)
Is Ankle Instability Surgery Right for You?
If you’re tired of living with an unreliable ankle and want to get back to hiking the Rachel Carson Trail, playing with your kids without fear, or competing in your sport again – let’s talk.
Call Prisk Orthopaedics and Wellness at (412) 525-7692 or request an appointment online today. We’ll review your MRI (or order one same-week), examine your ankle, and give you an honest recommendation, surgery or not.
You don’t have to accept a lifetime of braces and fear. There is a reliable, proven solution – and it’s available right here in Monroeville.
Ready to walk without worry again?
