Ankle Conditions & Surgery

Ankle Ligament Repair
& Reconstruction Dubai

One bad sprain is unlucky. A third sprain on the same ankle is a pattern — and usually a sign the lateral ligaments healed loose or not at all. Chronic ankle instability affects up to one in five people after a significant sprain, and in Dubai's football, padel and running community it is one of the most common reasons athletes stop trusting their own ankle.

When surgery makes sense

Most first-time sprains are treated without an operation: protection, progressive loading and balance retraining. Surgery is considered when instability persists despite committed physiotherapy — recurrent giving-way, apprehension on uneven ground, or repeated sprains during sport.

How Dr. Haidar treats it

The mainstay is anatomic repair of the ankle's lateral ligaments (the Broström-type repair), tightening and reattaching your own ligament tissue, usually with arthroscopic assessment of the joint at the same time to address any cartilage or impingement problems discovered. Where the ligament tissue is too damaged to repair — often after many years of instability — reconstruction using a graft restores stability instead. The choice is made on examination and MRI, and explained to you before anything is decided.

Recovery

Typical progression is a short period of protection, walking in a boot within the first weeks, return to running around three months, and return to pivoting sport between four and six months depending on the sport and your rehabilitation. You leave the consultation with the staged plan, not just a surgery date.

Procedure
Broström-type anatomic ligament repair ± arthroscopy
When reconstruction is needed
Ligament tissue too damaged to repair — graft used instead
Walking
In a boot within the first weeks
Return to running
~3 months
Return to pivoting sport
4 – 6 months, guided by testing
FAQ

Frequently Asked Questions

Book a Consultation

Ready to take the next step?

Consultations available in English, French and Arabic at two Emirates Hospital locations in Dubai.

Emirates Hospital Day Surgery
Motor City, Dubai, UAE
Sun – Thu: 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM
Emirates Hospital
Jumeirah, Dubai, UAE
Sun – Thu: 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM
Dr. Ibrahim Haidar
Sports Orthopaedic Surgeon – Lower Limb & Sports Medicine

Fellow of the European Board of Orthopaedics and Traumatology (FEBOT). Practising at Emirates Hospital, Dubai.

Quick Links
Practice Locations
Emirates Hospital Day Surgery
Motor City, Dubai
Emirates Hospital
Jumeirah, Dubai
Languages
EnglishFrenchArabic

© 2026 Dr. Ibrahim Haidar. All rights reserved.

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Emirates Hospital Group · Dubai, UAE