A HEALTHY DAY
Ankle Sprain
It is now mid-summer and we find ourselves being outdoors more and more, especially with daylight savings time. With that, we tend to increase our physical activity. This is good and healthy but we also become more prone to injury. Most of us have experienced an ankle sprain before and you know how painful it can be. In this article, I am going to explain why we get ankle sprains, what we should do when it happens, treatment for it, and ways to prevent it from happening.
Ankle sprains can happen to anyone and the most common area is the lateral or outer part of the ankle. What happens is that while running, or even just walking, muscles surrounding the ankle can sometimes get weak and/or are not “turned on” to help support the ankle. Thus, stress is put on the ligaments which when become inflamed and painful. The main muscles supporting the ankle, via lateral sprain prevention, are called the peronei or fibularis muscles which are located on the outer aspect of the leg and ankle. Once someone gets a sprain, they are more prone to other sprains in the future.
The first thing you should do when you hurt your ankle/foot is what is called “RICE” which stands for Rest * Ice * Compression * Elevation. You should apply ice to the area for 20 minutes every 3-4 hours, day and night, for 48 hours. The first 48-hours is considered the acute phase.
After 48 hours then the ankle is considered in the sub-acute phase and is ready for rehab. A good exercise consists of starting with RICE and then standing in a hot tub/bath doing slow upward and downward ankle flexion stretches. This can be followed by light resistant cycling.
Further rehab should be monitored and maintained by a health care professional such as a chiropractor or physical therapist. With the use of Anodyne® Therapy for inflammation, resistive and proprioceptive exercises, myofascial release/trigger point therapy, and chiropractic manipulation, healing can be completed in 1-3 months for most people. Nutritional Supplements should also be implemented to help with pain/inflammation along with promoting tissue healing (must be prescribed by a healthcare professional). At home, you can follow these simple guidelines for best results: 1- RICE (add castor oil to a baby diaper or cloth with compression), 2- taping/bracing before vigorous activity, 3- wear good supportive shoes, 4- Walking on sand barefoot. For prevention, use an external ankle support and implement slow static stretching of the calf muscles. Otherwise, remember to be aware of pain and don’t try to mask it. We have pain for a reason.
From all of us here at Nill Family Chiropractic, I’m Dr. Nill. Have a safe summer and as always, have a healthy day!
I also wanted to let you know that we have a new promotion here at Nill Family Chiropractic and Wellness Center. From now until August 1st, for any new patient who comes in, a FREE exam and a FREE massage will be given to thank all of my readers and many of you who have come in for healthcare after reading my articles.
Please contact me by phone at 260-459-2205 or by e-mail at drnill@nillfamilychiropractic.com. If you have any questions or if you want to come in for the FREE consultation, the address is; Nill Family Chiropractic and Wellness Center at 4656 W. Jefferson Blvd., Suite 240, Fort Wayne, IN 46804. Also, feel FREE to check out our website to see all that we have to offer at www.nillfamilychiropractic.com. Reference: Huff L. and Brady D.M. Instant Access to Chiropractic Guidelines and Protocols Mosby: 1999; 288-293.
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