Ankles are a very delicate part of the body. In fact, the story of Achilles (the namesake of the Achilles' heel) demonstrates that even someone who appears to be in incredibly strong and powerful can be felled by an injury to their ankle. If you are an athlete who has been affected by an ankle injury, here are some tips to help you regain your strength.
Ice and elevate
As the ankle is low on the body, it is very prone to swelling and further damage if you attempt to stand and bear weight on the joint. It is very important to rest up and elevate and ice the ankle as soon as you get an injury so that you can reduce swelling and damage. In many cases, spending time doing this early on can speed your recovery and get you back to strength as soon as possible.
Rest and support
If you wake up the next day after a tumble or an injury, it is a good idea to gently test the ankle before you fully bear weight on it. If it still feels very tender, it can be a good idea to take it easy until the ankle feels less painful. Pain is your body's way of telling you to take a break for a while!
If you can bear weight but do not feel confident with the stability of the joint (if you feel like you might 'roll' through the joint), then this is a good time to break out the comfortable shoes. It can also be a good idea to brace the ankle to limit movement out of the comfortable range.
See a sports physio
If you have rested and iced your ankle but it is still giving you some concern, it is a good idea to see a sports physio. An unstable ankle can be the catalyst for later, more serious ankle injuries. It is a good idea to rebuild both strength through the joint and overall stability through targeted exercises. Physios can help to give you exercises that you can do at home to prevent further injury.
Ankle injuries are very common for people who are involved in high-impact exercise. If you get an ankle injury, is is very important to rest, ice and elevate the ankle. If it continues to be painful or unstable, you should see a physiotherapist to get targeted treatment.
Share15 May 2017
Hello there! Welcome to my blog. I would like to start by telling you a story about something that happened to me many years ago. I was working in Sydney at the time as an investment banker. The hours were long and I would party every weekend to de-stress. I put on a lot of weight and began to have problems sleeping. I didn't pay much attention to the problems, as I thought I was invincible. However, one day I collapsed at work. At the hospital the doctors saved my life. Since then, I have become very interested in health and medical matters.