Are you a sports enthusiast? If you have played any kinds of sports, or gone running or walking, there is a good chance you might have suffered from “Sprained Ankle”. Physiotherapists in Perth help you to heal sprained ankle and get back to your favourite sport without any hitch.
According to recent research reports, a sprained ankle is the most common type of athletic injury, and ankle sprains account for 15-30% of all sports injuries. These ankle sprains can also be associated with women in high-heeled shoes.
Most of the times, ankle sprains occur when the foot twists, rolls or turns beyond its normal motions. Planting your foot awkwardly, uneven grounds and applying the unusual amount of force to the joint can cause ankle sprains. Sprained ankles suffer from injuries in ligaments, and this causes inflammation, swelling, and bruising around the affected joint.
Common Symptoms of Ankle Sprain
- Inability to weight bear on the affected ankle
- Mild to severe ankle sprain
- Lowered motion at the ankle joint
- Swelling
- Inflammation
- Bruising
- Instability of the ankle
How Physiotherapy Could Help You?
To diagnose a sprained ankle, a thorough subjective and objective examination from a physiotherapist is usually sufficient. The severity of the sprain can be graded into following three types.
Grade 1
Slight stretching and some damage to the ligament
Grade 2
Partial tearing of the ligament and abnormal looseness (laxity) of the ankle joint
Grade 3
Complete tear of the ligament with gross instability
Your physio in Perth analyses the severity of the sprain to determine the time frame of when the injured person can return to sport or normal activity. The treatment plan includes the following,
- Advice regarding rest
- Soft tissue massage
- Motion exercises
- Strength training
- Gait training
- Balance/Proprioceptive training and more.
Initially, after injury, a light massage around the ankle, calf and shin muscles is required to reduce swelling from around three days. Deeper massage techniques can be incorporated as the pain subsides and this help loosen the calf and shin muscles and improve range of motion. The most effective massage therapy to deal with an ankle sprain is cross friction massage that helps you in preventing scar tissue formation. This technique will be a little painful and might be easier to start treatment slightly away from the point of injury and gradually work in towards it. If the swelling and pain become worse, then refrain from massage until the acute stage has passed.
Recent research reports show that 80% of people who sprain an ankle will re-sprain it and this is normally due to inadequate rehabilitation. There can be long-term negative effects such as chronic instability, decreased range of motion and pain, if there is no proper treatment for an ankle sprain.
To know more about sports physiotherapy in Perth, visit https://www.sportsmedsubiaco.com.au.