Not only are ankle sprains one of the most common injuries seen across a wide variety of sports and physical activities, but they are an injury that has a high risk of recurrence.
While sprains can occur laterally or medially, the vast majority of injuries we assess in our clinic occur due to inversion sprains, damaging the anterior talofibular ligament, the calcaneofibular ligament, the posterior talofibular ligament or a combination of the three. This occurs due to the relative instability and weakness of the outer ligaments when compared to the stronger medial ligament.
At Whittlesea Physiotherapy we understand that patients can get frustrated with time away from the activities they love and can get even more irritated should re-injury occur, so our goal is not only to decrease the pain associated with an ankle sprain and to restore function, but to provide a rehabilitation program the will minimise the chance of injury recurrence.
In order to help minimise the risk of further damage and future relapse, it is essential that following an ankle sprain, patients apply the RICE (Rets, Ice, Elevation, Compression) regime to help limit the hemorrhage and oedema that can lead to irritating synovial reactions that restrict joint range of motion. It is also vital that they AVOID any activity that will promote blood flow and additional swelling such as:
- hot showers
- heat rubs
- alcohol
- excessive weight-bearing
Should you deem your patient appropriate for physiotherapy, upon presenting to our clinic, our therapists will conduct a thorough assessment of your Patient’s ankle to ensure there are no other serious injuries that have occurred that may have been masked by significant amounts of swelling or bruising.
While the initial phase of management will focus on reduction of pain and swelling, this will quickly move to restoration of proper movement and function, to ensure each individual is back on their feet as soon as is safe to do so. Patients will likely be given a program of stretching and strengthening exercises to assist with their recovery, before moving the focus to restoration of proprioception, functional exercise and a return to normal activities.
While the severity of each injury will largely dictate the speed at which patients can move through each rehabilitation phase, it is vital that each step is managed carefully to ensure a full recovery with no complications, and a minimal chance of recurrence.
Should you have any patients who are suffering from acute or recurrent ankle sprains or pain, and believe they would respond to physiotherapy treatment, don’t hesitate to refer them for an appointment with one of our experienced therapists.