The ankle is a complex joint. It is a hinge joint and a synovial joint. This means that it both allows the foot to flex up and down as well as to rotate. When you step on your heel to lift your foot off the ground, your ankle is flexed and when you land with your foot flat on the ground, your ankle is in a neutral position. When you rotate your foot outwards, this also takes place at the ankle.
The ankle joint is surrounded by bone and ligament and supported by muscles around the area. The most common reason you might injure it is by twisting your foot beyond its normal range of motion, causing sprains or strains in the ligaments that surround the joint.
What is a sprained ankle?
There are two main ligaments in the ankle, the Calcaneofibular ligament and the anterior talofibular ligament. These two ligaments hold the ankle bones in position, and their job is to protect the ankle from twisting or turning, and to protect the foot from rolling. A ligament is like a rubber band, able to stretch within its limits and return to its original shape. Like a rubber band, if it’s stretched too much, a sprain or strain will occur. A severe sprain can cause actual tearing of the ligament’s elastic fibers.
Ankle sprains are one of the most commonly injured ligaments in sports. Ankle sprains can be either acute or chronic injuries. An acute sprain occurs when someone steps on an uneven surface or twists their ankle beyond its natural range of motion. A chronic ankle sprain is a result of repetitive ankle instability. This means the body sees the ankle as an area that could easily sustain further injury, so it creates an environment of protective healing. Symptoms include stiffness, swelling and redness in the affected area which often requires anti-inflammatory medication for pain relief. Treatment for acute and chronic ankle sprains can include: cold compression, physical therapy and use of crutches to help with weight-bearing.
Symptoms of a sprained ankle
Symptoms of a sprained ankle may include:
- Swelling throughout the ankle joint
- Pain at one or both sides of the ankle
- Skin tenderness around the ankle
- Bruise or redness around the ankle
- Inability to bear weight or moving the ankle
- Inability to stand properly
Ankle sprain Rehabilitation
Rehabilitation (rehab) exercises are critical to ensure that the ankle heals completely and re-injury does not occur. You can begin healing by walking or bearing some weight, while using crutches if needed, if you can do so without too much pain. Start rehab with range-of-motion exercises in the first 72 hours after your injury. Continue with further rehab, including stretching, strength training, and balance exercises, over the next several weeks to months. Here are some rehabilitation exercises for a sprained ankle:
- Towel curls – While sitting, place your foot on a towel on the floor and scrunch the towel toward you with your toes. Then, also using your toes, push the towel away from you.
- Alphabet tracing – Trace the alphabet with your toe, which encourages ankle movement in all directions. Trace the alphabet 1 to 3 times.
- Calf stretch – Stand facing a wall with your hands on the wall at about eye level. Put the leg you want to stretch about a step behind your other leg. Keeping your back heel on the floor, bend your front knee until you feel a stretch in the back leg. Hold the stretch for 15 to 30 seconds. Repeat 2 to 4 times. Repeat the exercise with the back knee bent a little, still keeping your back heel on the floor. This will stretch a different part of the calf muscles.
- Towel stretch – Sit with your leg straight in front of you. Place a rolled towel under the ball of your foot, holding the towel at both ends. Gently pull the towel toward you while keeping your knee straight. Hold this position for 15 to 30 seconds, and repeat 2 to 4 times. Do not continue if the pain is too severe.
- Strengthening exercises – Start by sitting with your foot flat on the floor and pushing it outward against an immovable object such as the wall or heavy furniture. Hold for about 6 seconds and then relax. After you feel comfortable with this, try using rubber tubing looped around the outside of your feet for resistance. Push your foot out to the side against the tubing, then count to 10 as you slowly bring your foot back to the middle.
- Balance and control exercises – You may try standing on your injured foot while holding your arms out to your sides. Balance for a long as you can, working up to 60 seconds. Stretching exercises should be continued on a daily basis and especially before and after physical activities to help prevent re-injury. Even after your ankle feels better, continue with strengthening exercises and balance and control exercises several times a week to keep your ankles strong.
From the sprain and strain of an ankle to the three stages of a torn ACL, physical therapy can be a long, arduous journey. During that time, your body is going through a lot and it’s important to find the right kind of physical therapist to help you through your recovery. Ankle sprain rehabilitation plays an important role in the overall healing process. Without proper ankle sprain rehabilitation, the condition may hinder your activities of daily living and work. We at Befit Physio are here to address all your concerns. Call us for any assistance and our team would be happy to help.
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