Ankle Sprain
If you play sports, it’s likely you’ll experience an ankle sprain at some point. It’s a common injury that can occur when you land awkwardly or hard on one leg, and your foot turns underneath the weight of your body. Even if you haven’t sprained an ankle playing sports, you may have done so during work or just going about your day-to-day business.
If you’ve got a sprained ankle in Port Moody or Coquitlam, active rehab is a highly effective way to reduce the effects and promote recovery. In this article, we’re going to look at how sprained ankles happen, what tendons are, and how you can use active rehab for a sprained ankle to speed up your recovery and reduce the risk of it happening again.
What happens when I have sprained my ankle?
An ankle sprain is an injury to the ligaments located where the leg bones connect to the foot bones. Ligaments are formed from strong, fibrous tissue that holds your joints together, and when you twist or turn your ankle in an abnormal manner, that can cause the ligaments to stretch and even tear in some cases. People experience ankle sprains in all sorts of situations:
- Playing sports, such as tennis, football, or netball
- Walking or running on uneven ground
- Wearing flimsy footwear or even high heels
Symptoms: What does an Ankle Sprain look and feel like?
Because your ligaments have the primary job of stabilizing your joint and holding them in place, they need to have a finite ability to stretch, and when you exceed that, you’ll experience a sprain. Often, a sprained ankle is accompanied by swelling and bruising, and you’ll likely find it painful to put weight on the affected side.
- Swelling – most commonly on the outside of your ankle
- Local bruising
- Local pain, which worsens when you attempt to stand on the affected foot
Home treatment: How can you recover from an Ankle Sprain?
You’ll need to look after your ankle for a while after injuring it, and a sprain in this area can take anything from ten days to three weeks to get back somewhere near normal. During that time, protecting the joint from further strains is paramount to your recovery.
Avoid putting weight on the affected side and get plenty of rest. Apply ice as soon after the injury occurs as possible to inhibit swelling, and continue to apply ice at intervals while you recover. When the injury first occurs, use ice for twenty minutes each time up to four times. If you perform a physical role at work, you’ll need to take some time off.
- While you rest, elevate the affected ankle as much as possible.
- You can use an elasticated bandage to support the ankle during your recovery or wear purpose-made support.
- If you can’t avoid moving around when you’ve got a sprained ankle, you can use crutches to support your weight and keep it off the affected joint.
How long does it take to recover from a sprained ankle?
That will depend on the severity of the injury, but many people will be back to normal in approximately ten days. If you experience a particularly bad sprain, however, it can take a few weeks or even a couple of months to heal completely.
Some people do experience long-term weakness after an ankle has suffered a relatively serious sprain. If that’s the case, an active therapist can recommend exercises that will protect against further injury.
Massage Therapy and Active Rehab in Port Moody for a sprained ankle
Active rehabilitation and massage therapy both have an important role to play in helping you recover from a sprained ankle. Massage is a highly effective way to reactivate muscles and mobilize joints after an injury.
Myofascial Release is a technique used by massage therapists and helps alleviate both the symptoms and ongoing debilitating effects of a sprained ankle. Fascia is what registered massage therapists call the fibrous tissues that support muscles. When you get an injury like a sprained ankle, massage therapy works to restore blood flow to affected areas and relieve muscle tension that results from trauma. Massage therapy is helpful during the earlier stages of a sprain
Active therapy, also known as active rehab, for a sprained ankle further bolsters the body against future injury by strengthening muscles in the area, and it’s recommended as soon as you’re over the worst of the symptoms of a sprain. Your therapist might use all or a combination of some of the following techniques:
- Exercises to restore balance.
- Stretches to promote joint mobility and elasticity.
- Exercises to strengthen the muscles around your ankle.
- If you suffered the injury during sport, the therapist might recommend specific exercises designed to prepare for a return to the field.
Need An Appointment?
Inspine Therapy is a multi-disciplinary clinic located in the heart of Port Moody. We care about providing fundamental healing through all-in-one care that focuses on helping you recover, improve, and optimize your health until you’re in the best condition possible.
Our services include massage therapy, chiropractic therapy, acupuncture, active rehab, clinical counselling, and pilates. Visit our newly renovated clinic and book your appointment today!
