Exercises to recover ankles after sprains

Ankle sprain is one of the mildest musculoskeletal injuries, common but with a high probability of recurrence. According to a study in the US, people with a history of sprains are 3.4 times more likely to re-injury than those without. Ankle sprains can lead to chronic instability, characterized by repeated, occasional pain or swelling.

According to experts, the reason why people with sprains relapse is because they don't do rehabilitation. The ankle area is quite complex with many bones and tendons joined together, connecting the tibia and fibula in the leg to the delicate metatarsal bones. The ankles take on many responsibilities, bear the entire weight of the body, and at the same time bend and stretch in many directions. It is this flexibility, coupled with the frequent need to move, that makes full recovery difficult and prone to recurrence.

One of the most important ways to recover from an ankle injury is through exercise. According to The New York Times, movement-based interventions are more effective than conventional methods such as rest, ice, and bandages.

For the first few days, people with sprains can try rotating their ankles to help ease the movement of their legs.

As the ligament begins to heal (a few weeks from the time of the sprain), the injured person can do some weight-bearing exercises. Unlike bones, ankle ligaments need to be strengthened in many ways. One of the simplest exercises is to use a resistance band, tie one end to the leg, the other end to wrap around a heavy object such as a table leg, then slowly bend the foot forward, backward, and to the side. beside.

Whenever you step on an uneven surface, or have to put your feet quickly, small nerves in the ankle help maintain balance. When an ankle is sprained, these nerves can be damaged leading to instability.

According to experts, if the ankle is unstable, the injured person needs to retrain the nerves in that area to teach the muscles and ligaments to coordinate properly.

One of the effective methods is balancing with one leg. Try standing on one leg, arms extended straight ahead, then out to the sides. Repeat this movement about 20 times. Once comfortable with these movements, the patient can practice on some unstable surfaces such as sofa cushions, balance cushions...

The muscles of the leg, ankle, and foot play an important role in ankle stability. Therefore, strengthening these muscles is very important. If the ankle is pulled in the wrong direction, the muscles in the ankle and calf will pull them back into place.

The muscles that affect the ankle include the lower leg muscles, which allow the foot to tilt from the inside out, up and down. Strengthening the lower leg muscles can compensate for weakness in the ankle ligaments.

One of the simplest exercises is the heel lift. Stand with feet shoulder-width apart and perform continuous heel-to-toe, then lower heels 10 times, repeating this process 3 times in a row.

If done regularly, these exercises can help prevent and recover from ankle sprains. Although the ankle ligaments of the legs are damaged, muscle exercises help to compensate and provide the necessary stability.