March 11th, 2011 by David Hawkins
One of the most common ankle injuries is the lateral ankle sprain. Most often it occurs in basketball, volleyball or other sports when the athlete lands on another players foot and the ankle rolls giving way under the weight of the athlete. Outside of athletics it can also happen from stepping off a curb wrong, or when a woman’s heel gets stuck when walking. Whatever the case may be there are certain things you can do to help speed your recovery.
Here are 5 things can do to help you recover from an ankle sprain:
- R.I.C.E. – most people have heard this acronym but it stands for REST, ICE, COMPRESSION and ELEVATION. Controlling the swelling initially after an ankle sprain will help shorten your recovery time.
- Mobility – if it isn’t broken, then you want to keep it moving. Pump your foot up and down and move it in circles. This will probably be tender, so just do what you can – bump into the pain don’t plow through it.
- Flexibility – different than general mobility, this is when you actually start stretching the area and trying to regain movement that your swelling took away. This can typically be started a few days following your injury. Start slowly and progress based on your symptoms.
- Strength – you will never build strength in movement you don’t have so make sure that you continue to work on flexibility. But as your symptoms calm down you will want to regain your strength so you can return to activity. Work from general to specific (ie: recumbent bike to toe raises)
- Balance – this is the final peice to the puzzle and one that is often neglected leading to recurring/chronic ankle sprains. Practice standing on your injured foot/ankle. You should be able to stand for at least 30 seconds without losing your balance. Once you have mastered that try it with your eyes closed or while standing on a pillow.
Truly your best option for a speedy recovery is to come see me or a physical therapist that can help walk you through the steps and progress you as fast as possible. Don’t let an ankle sprain keep you out of the game any longer than it needs to. Good luck!
P.S. If you enjoyed this post please share it with others and thanks for sharing!
Medical Advice Disclaimer
The information included in this blog post and on this site are for educational purposes only. It is not intended nor implied to be a substitute for professional medical advice. The reader should always consult his or her healthcare provider to determine the appropriateness of the information for their own situation or if they have any questions regarding a medical condition or treatment plan. Reading the information on this website does not create a physical therapist-patient relationship.
If you liked this post, please leave me a comment and share on other networks.
Tags: ankle injury, ankle pain, ankle sprain, balance, compression, elevation, ice, injury recovery, mobility, range of motion, rest, strength
Posted in Ankle/Foot Pain, Joint Pain | 1 Comment »
March 9th, 2011 by David Hawkins
As a physical therapist I have the pleasure of working with various people from all walks of life who have experienced an array of injuries. Based on my experience, I have developed an 8 step process that each of us go through whether we are recovering from a specific injury or trying to improve our current level of health and fitness. My goal is to provide you with the framework so that you can assess where you are currently at and make changes to help increase your function today and help prevent injury and loss of function in the future.
The following are 8 STEPS that I assess as I am working with individuals in their recovery:
- Mobility: think general movement – walking, bending, reaching – are you able to perform your daily tasks?
- Flexibility: often neglected, but a very important part of full function and injury prevention. Do you stretch on a consistent basis? If your job is primarily sitting you really need to stretch!
- Stability: think core strength, shoulders to hips – when you are using your arms or legs are they supported by your trunk, or does the movement pull your trunk (spine) in all sorts of directions?
- Endurance
- Muscular: most of us work longs days. Can your muscles keep up for a full shift at work? Look at your posture for clues about your muscular endurance.
- Cardiovascular: since your heart is a muscle, it needs working out too.
- Balance: How do you do standing on one foot? How about with your eyes closed?
- Coordination: Walking and chewing gum. Performing a new exercise sometimes takes time to figure out. For example – how do you do with tightening your abs while still breathing correctly?
- Strength: How many pushups, pullups and situps can you do? How long can you hold a wall sit before your legs start shaking?
- Specific Skills: Whether it is a sport or a task you perform for your job – can you perform it correctly and consistently?
Whether you have experienced an injury and are trying to return to your previous level of function, or you are just trying to stay as healthy as possible. Use these 8 steps to assess where you are at and make changes to help you regain and maintain your optimal level of health and fitness.
P.S. If you enjoyed this post please share it with others and thanks for sharing!
Medical Advice Disclaimer
The information included in this blog post and on this site are for educational purposes only. It is not intended nor implied to be a substitute for professional medical advice. The reader should always consult his or her healthcare provider to determine the appropriateness of the information for their own situation or if they have any questions regarding a medical condition or treatment plan. Reading the information on this website does not create a physical therapist-patient relationship.
If you liked this post, please leave me a comment and share on other networks.
Tags: balance, coordination, endurance, flexibility, injury recovery, mobility, road to recovery, specific skills, stability, strength
Posted in General, Joint Pain | No Comments »
Google Buzz
