An ankle sprain is one of the most common foot injuries that one faces in life. If you are an athlete, you are at a higher risk of facing such problems as a slight twist of the ankle can lead to this injury. But one should not be disheartened as there are numerous ways that can help in getting back to the normal active life with more strength & endurance. Today, we will be discussing the same subject.

Lateral ankle sprain- It occurs when the foot twists in an inward direction and the ligaments (anterior tibiofibular, posterior tibiofibular, and calcaneofibular) present in the outer ankle get injured.

Medial ankle sprain- When the foot rolls in an outward direction, then the ligaments (deltoid) present in the inner ankle may experience a pull that can injure them. These sprains are not common but can lead to ankle instability.

High ankle sprain- This injury happens in athletes by dorsiflexion and outward rotation of the ankle leading to injury to tibiofibular (syndesmosis) ligaments.

The ankle sprains can further be classified on the basis of severity to decide the course of recovery. There are three Grades to mark the intensity, wherein the first grade (grade 1) specifies minimal injury that can be recovered in a couple of weeks and third grade (grade 3) indicates a complete rupture of the ligament and may require surgery for recovery.

Conditions that need to be monitored before/for returning to normal life

Alleviation of swelling

Experiencing swelling after an acute ankle sprain is a common symptom. The RICE method is used to reduce the swelling as much as possible as swelling may cause a lot of pain and restrict the patient from working on the other aspects of recovery.

Taking support from orthotic devices

According to the patients’ preference and condition, one can take support from orthotic-devices like cast, a pneumatic walker boot or a supportive brace. But it is advised to consider it as a short-term strategy as dependency on such support may hamper you to work on strengthening of the joint.

Key attention on the range of motion

Your range of motion may play an important role in getting back to active life. Without working on this aspect, the other ligaments and tissue may also be affected. This is the reason why the physical therapist suggests some exercises that are focused on improving the range of motion of the joint.

Invest the recovery time in improving strength

Strength plays a crucial role while performing the same activities and hence take this time to work on the same aspect. You need to put appropriate pressure on your ankle and train it to endure more and more pressure with time. Strong muscles and joints lower the rate of injuries, so practice strengthening exercises. These exercises may range from theraband exercises to weight-bearing ones.

Perform balancing to ensure stable movement

Some people may think that regaining the range of motion is an indicator to return to sports, but it is not a wise decision. Apart from the range of motion and strengthening, the other parameter that should be considered is balance. Balancing exercises improve your proprioception sense and hence limit the incidence of retwisting and spraining your ankle again. Simple balancing exercises can be performed for a few minutes and with time, try to practice balancing for a longer duration.

So these are some measures that can be taken to return to normal life after sustaining an ankle.If you want a personal consultation on ankle sprain recovery, then you can consult Dr. Anuj Chawla. He is an experienced foot and ankle doctor in Gurgaon and has helped numerous athletes and other people in getting back to their normal life with effective foot pain treatment.