Have you ever played a sport? If so, you've probably experienced an ankle sprain. Congratulations if you haven't, as you are a rare breed! Ankle injuries are some of the most common injuries in sports and can often leave athletes with nagging ankle issues for the rest of their lives. In this blog, we'll discuss two common ankle injuries, how they happen, and how to recover from them.

Ankle sprains are injuries in which the ligaments – connective tissues connecting bones to other bones – are damaged. They can vary in severity depending on how torn the ligament is. Sometimes ankle sprains can even fracture bones, requiring surgery. Now that you have the basics, let's dive deeper into the two types of ankle sprains: common (lateral) ankle sprains and high (syndesmotic) ankle sprains. Although they differ, their rehabilitation methods are similar.

Common Ankle Sprain

Common ankle sprains make up 90% of cases, occurring when the foot folds in under the lower part of the leg. This can happen in any running and jumping sport, damaging the ligaments on the outside (lateral side) of the ankle. You might "roll" your ankle by misplacing your foot while walking or running, or land awkwardly after a jump, like attempting a 360 dunk and missing the shot completely.

High Ankle Sprain

High ankle sprains, on the other hand, are less common, making up only 10% of cases. These occur when the foot points out and up, damaging the ligaments on the inside of the foot. High ankle sprains typically result from contact injuries or poor landings from jumps, like the picture of a poor football player getting injured. They usually require longer recovery times than common ankle sprains.

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So, you've got an ankle injury and need to recover. We'll focus on the late intermediate to terminal phase of ankle rehab, assuming you've already seen a physical therapist. The protocol for high and common ankle sprains is quite similar after physical therapy.

Step 1: Lower Leg Strengthening

Begin by strengthening the muscles in your lower leg with non-weight bearing activities. Band-resisted inversion, eversion, and dorsiflexion exercises are a great starting point to strengthen your lower leg without risking further injury to your currently wobbly ankle.

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Step 2: Put Some Weight On It

Next, introduce weight-bearing activities, like heel raises and band-resisted side steps with a band at the ankle, to continue strengthening your lower leg and improve neuromuscular function. Your body weight will help in this process (and no, this is not a fat joke, we promise).

Step 3: Balance, Baby, Balance

Improving neuromuscular function is crucial for long-term recovery (remember the importance of neurons?). This will help decrease the feeling of "giving out" that many experience after an ankle injury. Single-leg balance activities on unstable surfaces can help enhance neural connections in the lower leg and strengthen the glute muscles, promoting long-term ankle health.

Step 4: Getting Strong

Work "up the chain" to ensure your ankles stay strong and healthy. Integrated strength training, like Single-Leg Squats to Single-Arm Press - Rear Foot Elevated, helps develop neuromuscular efficiency and strength in your glutes, which will be the key factor for stable ankles.

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Step 5: Get Back Out There, Champ!

Once you can perform complex agility and running drills without any problems, jump and land without issues, and confidently navigate the field or court, it's time to test your skills on the battlefield once again! Keep in mind that the final decision to return to sport should involve input from your healthcare professional.

In conclusion, don't underestimate the importance of giving your ankles the TLC they deserve. By focusing on building a strong core and powerful hips, as well as avoiding high-impact collisions with players like JJ Watt, your ankles should remain stable and injury-free. We hope this guide has helped you gain a better understanding of ankle sprains and the steps you can take to recover and prevent future injuries.

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References

Andrews, J. R., Harrelson, G. L., & Wilk, K. E. (2012). Physical rehabilitation of the injured athlete (4th ed.). Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier/Saunders.
Neumann, D. A., Kelly, E. R., Kiefer, C. L., Martens, K., & Grosz, C. M. (2017). Kinesiology of the musculoskeletal system: Foundations for rehabilitation. St. Louis, MO: Elsevier.