What is an Ankle Sprain?

An ankle sprain, or “rolled” ankle, occurs when your ankle ligaments are overstretched and injured. They are one of the most common injuries seen in sports involving running, change of direction and jumping, and can vary from a mild sprain through to full ruptures and avulsion fractures.

Signs & Symptoms

• Immediate pain and swelling on the outside of your ankle
• Bruising may develop over a few days
• May feel hot and sore to touch
• Difficulty weight bearing through your foot

What causes an Ankle Sprain?

Ankle sprains can occur when landing awkwardly from a jump, stepping onto an uneven surface or simply by an awkward planting of your foot while running.

If not fully rehabilitated, ankle sprains have a very high rate of re-injury as people simply assume they have “weak ankles”. This is not true and just because your ankle doesn’t hurt anymore, doesn’t mean that it has fully recovered.

There are number of risk factors which may contribute to you developing an ankle sprain.

These include:

• previous ankle sprains
• poor ankle strength and stability
• reduced ankle movement
• tight calf muscles
• inappropriate footwear, including high heels
• running on uneven ground, slippery or unstable surfaces

How can we help?

• Therapeutic Ultrasound to decrease pain, accelerate the inflammatory phase of healing and stimulate repair.
• Soft Tissue Massage to reduce muscle spasm around the ankle and help restore normal movement.
• Mobilisations / Manipulations (Adjustments) to improve ankle movement following injury.
• Incorporate an Ankle Stability Program for strength and stability around the ankle reducing your chance of re-injury.
• Taping & Braces for pain relief, increased stability and protection upon returning to training and sporting activities.
• Foot & Shoe Assessment to identify if your feet are contributing to your injury.
• Orthotics can be prescribed, if appropriate.
• Address any Training Errors. This will involve examining your current and future training schedule and advising you on an appropriately modified training program. We may recommend alternate forms of exercise to maintain your cardiovascular fitness during this period.

Have you recently suffered an ankle sprain and are worried about missing too many games? Or is this not the first time you’ve sprained your ankles and you are concerned about the long-term effects of constant re-injury?

Luckily for you, the experts at Spine & Sports Physiotherapy see ankle injuries every day and will get you back on the field ASAP and will also show you how to stop it from happening again.