Sports Medicine
A Crucial Period
Good Pain, Bad Pain
On Your Knees
Secondary Injuries
Imaging Technology
What's Sciatica?
The Female Athlete
Putting Your Feet First
Itis Schmitis
Too Much, Too Soon
Under the Influence
Twisted (Ankle)
What's Goin' On?
Think Inches, Not Pounds
Preventing Vaginitis
That Painful Pull
Athlete's Heart
Exercise & Arthritis
Chilled to the Bone
Measuring Body Fat
Exercise and Your Breasts
Choosing a Sports Doctor
Lean on Me (Shoulder)
Exercise & Anemia
Exercise Abuse
Pelvis Sighting
Hand Aid
It's All in the Wrist
Back in Action
Altitude Adjustment
Tennis Elbow, Anyone?
Exercising in the Heat
Agony of the Feet
Restless Legs
Night Time Cramps
Birth Control Concerns
No Periods, No Babies?
Post Partum Prescription
Weight Loss Mystery
Undesirable Cooldown
To Brew Or Not To Brew
Fitness After Baby
Biking and Back Pain
Swimmer's Shoulder
A Hidden Athlete
Avoiding Osteoporosis
Drug Testing
Maximum Heart Rate
Headway Against Headaches
Torn Rotator Cuff
Fat Figures
SOS About PMS
Bloody Urine
Sag Story
Lackluster Leg
Bothersome Bulge
Gaining in Years
Taking It On the Shin
Aching Ankles
Hoop Help
Tender Toes
Meals For Muscle
Growing Pains
Hot Tips
High Altitude PMS
Personal Bests
Air Pollution
Ankle Blues
Heartbreak Heel
Yeast Relief
If You Do the Twist...
Continued...
Practice walking with a normal heel-toe motion, even just after your injury if you can't walk normally avoid walking at all, because you may be doing further damage. Instead, try rolling a large can using a heel-to-toe motion while sitting. Use crutches to help you walk without a limp, or rest the ankle further.
Rehabilitation
Treating the pain and swelling is just the first step on the road to recovering the full strength and range of motion in your ankle. Rehabilitation includes a complete series of exercises to regain flexibility and to strengthen the ankle and foot to prevent reinjury.
The most effective program is one designed specifically for you and your injury by a certified physical therapist or athletic trainer.
How can you tell when you're ready to return to your sport? Ligaments will usually heal within four to eight weeks, but your comeback may be limited by an underlying weakness of the lower leg muscles and tightness of the Achilles' tendon.
Be sure to stretch the Achilles' tendon and strengthen the lower leg muscles by doing the dorsiflexion (toe raises) and eversion (twisting your ankle outward) exercises.
Most experts agree that chronic ankle injuries result from improper rehabilitation of a previous injury. You must have full range of motion around the joint without pain before returning to the complicated movements in running.
Test yourself first by standing on the sprained ankle alone for two minutes. If you are able to do this without wobbling too much, try walking on your heels for 50 steps, then try a straight-ahead jog.
The ultimate test is to run in a figure-eight pattern. If you can do all of these activities without experiencing pain, you're ready to return to action.
What follows are some exercises you can do to strengthen your ankle and assist in rehabilitating the joint.
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Table of Contents
Foreword: Billie Jean King
Comments by Barb Harris
Editor in Chief,
Shape Magazine
General Health
Nutrition
Exercise
Common Medical Problems
Dental Health
Emergency!
Infectious Disease
Sexual Health
Emotional Well-Being
Eating Disorders
Alcohol & Other Drugs
Environmental Health
Prevention
The information in this web site is for educational purposes only and is not providing medical or professional advice. It should not be used for diagnosing or treating a health problem or disease. It is not a substitute for professional medical care. If you have or suspect you might have any health problems, you should consult a physician.
Copyright 2000 - Sports Doctor, Inc.