Ankle Sprains: 3 Exercises You Have To Do
The ankle sprain, one of the most common lower limb sporting injuries we see. Typically characterised by pain on the side of the ankle (outside usually, but can also occur on the inside), swelling, bruising and an altered gait. Most are the result of the person landing with the ankle rolled in or out.
Depending on the severity of the sprain also determines how long it will take for the ligaments to heal. On the lesser end of the spectrum, milder sprains generally take 2-3 weeks to heal whereas more severe sprains can take up to 6 weeks or more! It is important to get your ankle injury assessed by a healthcare professional so that you can get information on your particular case.
After the initial stages of the ankle injury, performing some basic rehabilitation exercises can shorten your recovery period and also lessen the chance of re-injuring your ankle.
Our Exercise Physiologist Jack and one of our Osteopaths Mitch have put together a few videos on some basic ankle rehab exercises you can do to help you return to your chosen sport sooner – click on the links below for some examples!
Ankle Mobility Exercises
Following and ankle sprain, range of motion in the ankle is generally lost, so it is important to regain this in order to decrease your risk of re-injury. Gentle range-of-motion exercises like the ones shown below should do the trick. Start by trying to bring your toes closer towards you, then try and point the toes away. Another great one is to start making mini-circles with your ankle and increase the size of the circle as tolerable.
Ankle mobility exercises
Improve Your Balance
Proprioception or balance is one of the first things we lose when spraining any ligament so this is another important aspect to address in rehabilitation. Progress from both legs to single leg (the side that is injured) as tolerable and add in some movement to make it even more challenging!
Single leg balance progressions
Get Some Strength Back
It’s highly likely that you’ve been hobbling around for a couple of weeks, so getting some strength back into the affected leg will again limit the chance of re-injury. Gentle isometric contractions (like pushing into the floor) and some heel raises can all help strengthening the muscles surrounding the lower leg.
Seated PF isometric and heel raise (ankle strengthening exercises)
Please contact the clinic to get your ankle assessed or if you require any further information.
