Ankle sprains are known to be a common ankle injury whether it be due to sports or even twisting your ankle when you missed a step down the stairs for example. The highest incidence of ankle sprain was indoor/court sports.
A recent study shows that the outer part of the ankle was the most commonly observed type of ankle sprain due to the ease of twisting the ankle inwards[1]
We commonly attend to those with ankle sprains at our studio due to sports related activities. Let's take a tour through a client’s ankle sprain rehabilitation journey.
A 27 yr old badminton player presents herself with a sprained ankle during a match 3 weeks ago. Hoping that her ankle would recover by itself as she found the pain bearable, she found herself with a mild limp when she walks even after two weeks from the incident due to pain and stiffness. Due to growing concerns regarding her ankle, she decided to visit an Orthopaedic surgeon for further investigations.
She had an MRI done which showed a Grade 2 ankle sprain of the ATLF and CFL ligament. The image below shows you further details of what a Grade 2 ankle sprain looks like[2] [3].
Grade II: Incomplete tear of a ligament
Moderate pain and swelling
Mild to moderate bruises
Tenderness over involved structures
Some loss of function and motion
Mild to moderate instability
She was prescribed with anti-inflammatory's and referred for physiotherapy. She presented herself with the following:
1. Pain on the outer part of her ankle upon full weight bearing on the affected ankle.
2. Mild swelling
3. Tender upon touch
4. Tight in the calf and stiff in the ankle joint
What was her goal and why did she seek physiotherapy intervention?
Being someone who's athletic she knew she needed to regain strength and mobility in a safe manner to return to sport but she was not sure how to get there. She came to us with the goal of getting back to badminton as soon as possible.
Upon consultation and assessment during her first visit, we have established the following:
-Specific goal setting to return to sports
-Measurable methods to monitor her progress
-Attainable rehab programme to be functionally fit to return to badminton
-Relevant exercises and therapy to recover efficiently
-Time-bound: return to sports in 8-12 weeks
Her tailored rehabilitation programme over the course of 8 weeks included:
1. Training to correct her walking pattern
2. Manual therapy to stretch her tight muscles and reduce stiffness in the ankle joint
3. Functional exercises such as lunges, squats and single leg balancing exercises
4. Deep tissue releases to reduce muscle knots in the calf
5. Sports taping
6. Ice therapy
She is currently undergoing plyometric rehabilitation to ensure she is well conditioned to return to badminton.
Most people who have experienced a sprained ankle can very well return to sport but without the right course of rehab they risk a reoccurrence of the same problem.
Have you recently experienced such an injury to your ankle? Contact us and book an appointment today!
[1] Cailbhe Doherty. (2013). The Incidence and Prevalence of Ankle Sprain Injury: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Prospective Epidemiological Studies. Sports medicine. 44 (1), Nil. [2] MICHAEL W. WOLFE, M.D., Lewis-Gale Clinic, Salem, Virginia. (2001). Management of Ankle Sprains. Available: https://www.aafp.org/afp/2001/0101/p93.html. Last accessed 14/01/2021. [3] https://mailchi.mp/94f5b4cdcf15/ankle-sprain-treatment-protocol-using-the-tayco-brace