Ankle Sprains
With soccer and footy seasons well and truly on the way, one of the most common injuries to occur that accounts for up to 50% of all sports related injuries is, the classic Ankle Sprain AKA twisting or rolling your ankle!
In this month’s blog I’ll be going through what an ankle sprain actually is and what you can do to if you sprain your ankle during your sporting season.
But first what is an Ankle Sprain?
An ankle sprain is an injury that involves the sudden stretch or tear (partial or complete) of the outside and/or inside ligaments of the ankle.
This type of injury may occur when the ankle is forced either outwards or inwards beyond it’s normal limit.
In which there are 3 types of grading to decern the severity and healing time of the sprain. These being:
Grade 1 – which involves minor ligament stretching and swelling. Typically, this will only take 2-4 weeks to heal.
Grade 2 – is a partial tear of ankle ligament/s with some bruising and mild to moderate swelling visible as well as difficulty weight bearing. With this injury taking usually up to 2-3 months to fully heal.
Grade 3 – is a complete tear of one or more of the ankle ligaments. Significant swelling and bruising may be seen with severe difficulty to put weight on the injured ankle is experienced. Grade 3’s can typically take anywhere from 3-6 months to recover.
However, with Grade 3 ankle sprain’s the risk of fracture rises. So, if you have tenderness in any of the regions shown below following an ankle sprain your chiropractor may refer you for an X-ray to rule out a potential fracture.
What to do if you sprain your ankle
Your first thought when you roll your ankle may be to ‘ice it’ and or follow the R.I.C.E (Rest, Ice, Compress, Elevation) principal.
However, what if I told you that actually icing your fresh ankle sprain may actually be prolonging your healing time.
Sports doctor, Dr. Gabe Mirkin who first introduced R.I.C.E actually came out publicly in 2015 stating that ice “may delay healing, instead of helping it” (1,2). Which has now been supported by a plethora of research.
So, what do I do now you may ask? Well, follow the latest protocol, PEACE & LOVE:
B. Dubois, Jean-Francois Esculier: Soft-tissue injuries simply need PEACE and LOVE(3)
Now I’m not saying icing is bad, as there is a time and place for it. Such as using it for natural pain relief and controlling inflammation in the first 72hrs after you’ve sprained your ankle (20 minutes on, 2 hours off).
How can my chiropractor help?
Your chiropractor will first thoroughly take a history and examination your ankle and surrounding joints to determine the severity of the ankle sprain and whether or not an x-ray is indicated. Once conducted, a tailored management plan will be created for you, focusing on how long it may take to for it to heal.
Whereas, treatment includes a combination of therapies aimed at reducing pain and swelling, promoting healing, and increasing your ankle’s function and strength. These include:
• Short term bracing
• Taping
• Rehabilitation exercises
• Soft tissue work (massage, stretching, lymphatic drainage etc.)
• Joint mobilisations/manipulations
• Dry needling
• Shockwave Therapy (for more chronic cases)
So, if you or anyone you may know has recently sprained their ankle this sporting season feel free to book an appointment in with one of our amazing chiropractors for a thorough assessment and tailored treatment plan to help you recover quicker and safely get back on the field.
Click here or call 0435 819 286 to make an appointment.
References:
1. https://www1.racgp.org.au/newsgp/clinical/is-it-time-to-rethink-rice-for-soft-tissue-injurie#:~:text=Dr%20Rachael%20Murray%2C%20a%20researcher,icing%2C’%20she%20told%20newsGP.
2. Why Ice Delays Recovery | Dr. Gabe Mirkin on Fitness, Health and Nutrition (drmirkin.com)
3. Soft-tissue injuries simply need PEACE and LOVE Blaise Dubois, Jean-Francois Esculier
