They say you should never run with scissors. But what about after you’ve sprained your ankle? Running is definitely out of the question, but luckily there’s a much better alternative: physiotherapy-led rehabilitation.
As a physiotherapist who has more than once, more than a couple of times actually, gone through ankle sprain rehabilitation 😤, I can tell you first-hand that it's far from a walk, let alone a stroll in the park. It's a long process, could be painful but bearable, that involves physical therapy, rest, and plenty of patience.
The good news is, physiotherapy-led rehab is incredibly effective at helping to get an ankle sprain back up and running again 👌 (no pun intended). Now I want you to buckle-up or buckle down, whatever it is you need to do, as I exhibit why it's important to seek professional help for an ankle sprain injury and how physiotherapy can help speed up the recovery process.
Here we go, sit tight and pay attention!!
Physiotherapy Assessment of Ankle Sprains
If you've suffered an ankle sprain injury, you know the sense of urgency to heal up and move on with your life right. That's why it's so paramount to get a thorough assessment/Examination from a physiotherapist as soon as possible. They can assess/Examine the nature and severity of your injury, taking into account such things as the pain level using a pain rating scale, swelling, stability, range of motion, and the presence of any additional soft tissue injuries.
It's like having Goldilocks making sure your injury is just right – not too hot (SWELLING) and not too cold (SOFT TISSUE INJURIES)...you get it. Once the assessment is done, you can move on to what comes next: Physiotherapy-Led Rehabilitation.
But don't worry – that doesn't mean a long-term relationship or anything! You can think of physiotherapy-led rehabilitation as an exciting journey with occasional checkups along the way – kind of like getting a postcard from abroad for updates. Regular re-assessments let your physiotherapist monitor progress and adjust treatments according to how well your ankle is progressing towards full recovery. By the end of it all, you'll have remembered an important lesson: don't ignore that twinge!
Physiotherapy Treatment Options for Ankle Sprains
As an homo-sapien like you, but with a physiotherapy license, who has experienced an ankle sprain injury in the past, I know first-hand how important it is to get the right kind of treatment. It turns out, physiotherapy is key to not only recovery—but also helping to prevent future injuries!
Basically, physiotherapy helps you manage the discomfort and swelling of an ankle sprain while gradually encouraging you to build back up strength and flexibility. It's like your body's own personal trainer with a few extra degrees in physical therapy.
So what kinds of treatments can you expect? Here are a few of those that helped my ankle recover:
Stretching exercises - these were meant to improve range of motion and ease pain.
Strength training - I built back up stability and strength with weight-bearing exercises that encouraged proper loading.
Balance training - "balance wasn’t something I thought about until a physiotherapist showed me how important it was for rehabilitation—I practiced standing on one foot, heel walking and toe walking." That right there is the testinony of a patient .
Manual therapy - This included massage and joint mobilization techniques used to reduce pain levels and improve mobility.
Physiotherapy treatments are essential for helping you restore your ankle following a sprain. Not only can the treatments help speed up the healing process, but they’re also good for reducing your risk of recurrent injuries or future sprains.
Early Physiotherapy Rehabilitation Exercises for Ankle Sprains
You see rehab for ankle sprain can be very tricky at times, but have no fear! Physiotherapy-led rehabilitation is here to help, and early exercises are the key to getting your ankle sprain back in shape.
So, what precisely can you expect in the early stages? Here's a quick rundown or highlight of exercises that I've found helpful:
Range of Motion Exercises
That's right—gentle stretching for your ankle! This helps you get used to moving it again and increases flexibility. But be careful not to push too hard; doing too much too soon can set your recovery back.
Isometric Exercises
These involve static contraction of the muscles around the ankle joint without actually moving it. Aim for 3 sets of 10 repetitions, holding each one for 10 seconds. They may seem simple, but these can help with strengthening ligaments around the joint and increase stability.
Proprioceptive Exercises
These 'balance' exercises require cognitive effort while you're trying to move in different directions. So yes, it's time to dust off my trusty balance board... Like isometric exercises, focus on 3 sets of 10 reps, but this time hold each one for 15–20 seconds instead. These will help with motor control and restoring normal movement patterns after an injury.
Advanced Physiotherapy Rehabilitation for Ankle Sprains
When it comes to rehabilitating an ankle sprain, physiotherapy certainly isn't boring. Surely, the aim is always to decrease pain and restore normal motion and strength, but there's much more to it than that. Think of physiotherapy as a personal trainer assigned to get you back and better than ever.
When you start seeing advanced signs of healing, like spending less time icing your ankle and more time exercising, then it's time to move onto some fancy techniques that your physiotherapist will suggest. These might include:
Joint mobilizations: These are small movements done by your physiotherapist that improve the joint range of motion, reduce pain and stiffness.
Proprioceptive exercises: These balance and coordination exercises help you increase the stability of your ankle joint and reduce the risk of re-injury when you're back on your feet again.
Muscle re-education: With strength training exercises and stretching exercises, you can regain lost muscle balance in the injured ankle joint, helping protect from any further injury.
Even though this all sounds very technical, don’t worry – your physiotherapist will guide you through each step of the process in plain English so you know exactly what’s going on!
Physiotherapy Management of Chronic Ankle Instability
Physiotherapy plays an undisputed major role in properly rehabilitating a sprained ankle injury, helping to reduce the risk of developing chronic ankle instability later on. It's all about, but not limited to getting the body working the way it should again, and physiotherapy is one of the best tools you've got for reaching that goal.
It makes a lot of sense—after all, there's no use rushing towards recovery if you're not using the right techniques and strengthening exercises. Here are just some of the reasons why I found it so important:
Improved range of motion: Physiotherapists can help to restore your normal range of motion to allow a full return to activity.
Strength training: The right exercises can help you build strength in all the right places(specific muscle groups) to ensure proper balance in your body.
Core stability: Building strong core muscles can help hold everything together—literally!
Proprioception training: Integrating movements into everyday tasks will ensure your muscles will be prepared for anything life throws at them.
Ankle Sprain Prevention Through Physiotherapy
Rehabilitation after an ankle sprain is key to preventing further injuries.
Through a combination of targeted exercises and targeted stretches, strength and mobility are restored back in the ankle quickly and safely. This usually requires resistance bands, range of motion drills, weight-bearing drills and balance drills—which are usually done regularly.
Moreover, functional exercises are incorporated into plan of care, designed to help restore movement optimally. So far so good, these exercises have been incredibly-super effective in making sure that patients are able to walk pain-free, as well as ensuring they are able to achieve all necessary daily activities including sports and exercise without feeling any discomfort or stiffness in their ankle.
All in all, with physiotherapy-led rehabilitation after an ankle sprain injury, You move more freely with greater confidence while feeling stronger than before the injury!
Know this and know peace!!!
A sprained ankle isn’t the end of the world. With expert help and guidance, you can get the ankle back to where it was before and be running around in no time. It’s understandable if you want to be extra careful and take it slow, though. After all, you wouldn’t want to be known as the person who sprained their ankle twice. That’d be embarrassing!
Thanks for reading, Sayonara 🖐️
References
https://www.health.harvard.edu/pain/recovering-from-an-ankle-sprain
https://www.physio-pedia.com/Ankle_Sprain
https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/sprains-and-strains/
https://health.uconn.edu/msi/clinical-services/orthopaedic-surgery/foot-ankle-and-podiatry/ankle-sprain/
https://www.upmc.com/services/sports-medicine/conditions/ankle-sprain
https://emedicine.medscape.com/article/1907229-overview