Yes! We treat the whole body and can help you manage your ankle injury so you can recover faster and get back to training.
Ankle sprains are one of the most common injuries. Without proper treatment even simple ankle sprains can progress into arthritis.
Did you know the ankle’s normal inversion (ankle rolling to the outside)is 20 degrees while eversion(ankle rolling to the inside) is 10 degrees? That’s a 2:1 ratio (inversion: eversion). The inversion ankle sprain is the most common type of ankle sprain. If you have had an old inversion ankle injury that has never been addressed the ankle ligaments get lax and you lose the ability to stabilize.
You are more susceptible to Ankle injury with lateral motion work, downhill work, a high heel, or training on uneven surfaces. These are the things to avoid when starting back to a running program after an ankle injury.
If left untreated pain gradually disappears, but you are left with residual stiffness, weakness, ligamentous laxity, and even altered gait mechanics. If you continue to train the pain gets sharp and you are susceptible to re-injury. In some case you will feel pain and swelling after activity.
Excessive stress causes physical damage to the fibers of the ATF (anterior talofibular ligament) itself.
Treatment for Ankle Sprains
12 weeks. Rest. Ice. Decrease inflammation. During this time address ankle dorsiflexion(ROM), pronation, hip asymmetries, and strength.
A key factor that needs to be addressed is the collagen fibers or fascia that is injured. Use the rocker board or bosu to regain motor control of the ankle joint.
Do these exercises for 2 minutes. Tap lightly side to side, at an angle, and progress to circles clockwise and counter clockwise daily for 12 weeks.
In the office we use this exercise with Graston technique to remodel the fascia and selectively strip away the misaligned fibers allowing healthy collagen to form along the ligament and tendon complex.
What else can you do to decrease healing
time?
- Address contributing factors like loss of ankle ROM- foam roll calves and work on dorsflexion mobilizations.
- Make good decisions on casual footwear.
- Try using a traditional running shoe with rather than minimalist or barefoot shoes.
- Utilize KT Tape or Rocktape to decrease inflammation and re-educate proper mechanics.
- Consider custom orthotics to normalize your kinetic chain dysfunction.
- Ice after runs
- Use heat to warm up.
When can you run?
- Short answer 12 weeks to fully rehab. 8 weeks able to run at 80%.
- Phase 1 runner is unable to bear weight.
- Phase 2 runner can walk with minimal discomfort
- Phase 3 runner can hop without pain
Remember if you push beyond the capacity of the tissue you will re-injure. Sometimes the use of rock tape to help decrease inflammation and re-educate the ankle can allow you to run earlier on the injury spectrum.
