The classic ankle sprain injury. An injury every second person seems to have. Pretty simple right? It’s actually a little complex.
A lot of athletes sustain a rolled ankle and keep on playing as soon as their ankle lets them. A lot can actually can go wrong. Unfortunately, ankle sprain injuries have the highest recurrence rates for any injury in the human body. Having instability in the ankle is quite common post ankle sprain and can cause further re-injury to the area. This can contribute to the early onset arthritis in the ankle and mid-foot area. Our goal is to try and reduce this risk and reduce the re-injury rate as much as possible.
Ankle sprains can vary in their severity, from grade 1 injuries (mild sprains or injury to the ligament) to a fully torn/sprained ankle (grade 3). It is important to assess the severity of an ankle sprain. Our physios are highly trained in assessing the laxity/mobility of the ankle. An overly mobile ankle in comparison to the uninjured leg can often mean some injury has occurred to the ankle.
The severity of the injury will change the duration, type of treatment, rehabilitation exercises, and will affect when a person can return to sport or usual activities. Improving balance, proprioception ( the ability of the ankle to tell the brain where it is in space), strength, power, endurance and flexibility are all vital to ensure a safe return to full sport and pre-injury activities.
It is not uncommon for an ankle sprain to go untreated for years and then cause additional foot, knee or hip and even back problems. If you have had an ankle sprain recently, or are suffering with foot ankle pain or feel unstable in your running/walking make sure to come in and see one of our physiotherapists today.
For more information on how we treat ankle sprains click here