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Rehabilitation
for ankle sprains
When can I return to my sport or activity?
How long will the effects of the injury last?
Read more about ankle
sprains
Rehabilitation
for ankle sprains
Ankle sprains are one of the most common sports injuries. As an athlete,
you may already know that one of the most common and best ways to begin
rehabilitating a sprain is RICE:
- Rest
Avoid putting any pressure on your ankle by not walking on it.
- Ice
Apply ice or a cold pack to the ankle for 15-20 minutes, 4 times a day
for at least 2 to 3 days. This helps reduce pain and swelling. Wrap
the ice or cold pack in a towel. Do not apply the ice directly to your
skin.
- Compression
Wrap your ankle in an elastic compression bandage (e.g., Ace bandage).
This will limit swelling of your ankle.
- Elevation
Keep your ankle raised above the level of your heart for 48 hours. This
will help drain fluid and reduce swelling.
You can begin exercise
rehabilitation when the swelling subsides, which is usually a few days
after the injury. Because warmed tissue is more flexible and less prone
to injury, you may want to warm the ankle before doing rehabilitation
exercises. Use ice when finished to minimize any irritation to the tissue
caused by the exercise.
To get you back in
the game as quickly as possible, there are three main goals in rehabilitating
the ankle:
- Restoring motion
and flexibility
Gently move the ankle up and down. After 5 to 7 days, try restoring
motion to the hind foot by turning the heel in and out. To restore flexibility
in your calf muscle, try facing a wall with one foot in front of the
other and lean forward with your hands on the wall. Bend the front leg
while keeping the back leg straight and both heels on the floor. Lean
forward until you feel a gentle stretch, and hold for ten seconds. Switch
legs and repeat.
- Restoring strength
Once motion is restored, you can begin strengthening exercises using
a rubber tube for resistance. Fix one end of the tube to an immovable
object like a table leg, and loop the other end around the forefoot.
Sit with your knees bent and heels on the floor. Pull your foot inward
against the tubing, moving your knee as little as possible. Return slowly
to the starting position. Repeat with the other foot.
You can also sit
on the floor with your knees bent and the tube looped around both feet.
Slowly pull outward against the tube, moving your knee as little as
possible. Return slowly to the starting position. Repeat with the other
foot.
- Restoring balance
As your ankle gets stronger, the next task is restoring balance. Try
standing on the injured leg, with your hands out to your sides, and
hold position for 30 seconds. Repeat this exercise until balance is
achieved.
When can I return to my sport or activity?
- When you have full
range of motion in all directions (up and down, side to side, and in
and out).
- Your strength is
restored in all muscles around the ankle, including the calf.
- Your balance is
restored.
- You have no pain
or swelling with exercise or activity.
How long will the effects of the injury last?
With proper rehabilitation, an ankle sprain usually lasts two weeks. If
the injury has recurred several times, full recovery may take as long
as six weeks.
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