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Repeatedly rolling your ankles can be frustrating and sometimes even dangerous! Learn why it happens, and what you can do to prevent it.
When ankle rolls become a repeated occurrence, there is a chance that you are experiencing chronic ankle instability. Chronic ankle instability can result from a severe injury in the past that did not heal properly, or smaller sprains that happen more frequently.
When an ankle sprain occurs, the ligaments get stretched out or torn resulting in a weaker ankle, making you more prone to more ankle sprains and rolls. When repeated ankle sprains occur without enough time in between to heal, they can cause further injuries like cartilage damage, bone spurs and arthritis in your ankle.
How to address an ankle sprain depends on the severity. If the sprain is light, some rest and at home physical therapy should get your ankle healed up. If the sprain is more severe, medication, physical therapy from a professional and even surgery or braces could be on the table. Talking with your podiatrist is always the best option to determine which treatment plan is right for you and your sprained ankle. A podiatrist will walk you through the options and assess where your injury level is at and what to do next.
After you have healed up, you might be wondering what you can do to prevent another ankle sprain. Thankfully, there are several ways you can prevent sprains before they happen.
Making sure you have a good warm up routine for whatever activity you are about to do is one of the best ways to make sure you do your part in preventing ankle sprains. When you warm up, you get your blood flowing, muscles moving and test your range of motion before going full force and getting hurt.
Wearing shoes that support your feet is crucial for ankle support and preventing injury. When your shoes have support for your ankle, heel and arch, your feet can perform to their best abilities. When you wear shoes that don't offer much support, you are at higher risk of injury because you could slip, twist your ankle, or over commit to something without the proper tread under your feet.
If you are recently recovering from a sprained ankle and want to take it easy while still staying active, consider ankle/bracing tape. Ankle tape is a great option to help reduce and keep down swelling as well when you are just starting to heal from your ankle injury.
Watching and being aware of the terrain you are in is another great way to prevent ankle sprain before they happen. Take a moment to assess your current situation, running in the rain? Maybe head inside for a treadmill run instead or wait till it clears up. Going on a hike? Swap your sneakers for trail runners or hiking boots to get more tread and ankle support before you head out on the trail. Taking that extra second to weigh your options for what is best for you will help reduce your chances of any accidents happening before they happen.
If you feel stuck with chronic ankle instability, Foot & Ankle Specialists of Arizona can help. With over 5 locations in the valley, we're here for you, wherever you are. Contact us today to get your feet and ankles back to happy and healthy in no time!