ANKLE STRENGTHENING

PREVENT SPRAINS BEFORE THEY OCCUR

Acute sprains are the most common musculoskeletal injury in athletes, accounting for an estimated 2 million injuries per year and 20 percent of all sports injuries in the United States. 

• Occur most often in sports that involve sudden stops and cutting movements, such as basketball and soccer
• Often occur when changing direction or when landing
• Most common type of ankle injury is a lateral ankle inversion sprain

If not treated properly, an acute ankle sprain can lead to chronic problems such as decreased range of motion, pain, and joint instability. 

When dealing with ankle sprains, the best option is prevention. 

• Take a few minutes each day to do some simple exercises
• One study found that a balance training program, implemented throughout a sports season, could reduce the rate of ankle sprains by 38% in basketball and soccer players
   

Ligaments which are damaged during a lateral ankle inversion sprain

When someone rolls their ankle like in the picture above, they can stretch the anterior talofibular ligament, posterior talofibular ligament, and the calcaneofibular ligament.  How far they are stretched, affects the grade of the sprain and how long it will take to heal. 

The following are some exercises that will help to increase ankle strength, balance, and proprioception, a person’s perception of his or her own body.  For just a few minutes per day, you can significantly decrease the chance of an ankle sprain.  This will help you to spend your time on the court or field, and not in the training room. 

Strengthening Exercises

          Theraband

4-way ankle strengthening:   A. Dorsiflexion B. Plantarflexion C. Inversion Eversion

Calf Raises

Bilateral Calf Raise	Unilateral Calf Raise

 
Balance Exercises

The pictures above progress from easy to difficult.  You can modify the exercise by closing your eyes, doing them in the dark, or taking a shoe off.  Balancing when barefoot will help to strengthen all of the small intrinsic muscles in the foot. 

FACT OR MYTH?

Ankle taping or wearing braces can actually lead to a decrease in ankle strength.

FACT.  While bracing and taping can be useful when returning from a sprain, it is important not to use tape or braces instead of doing strengthening and balancing exercises. 

• Use tape or braces when returning from injuries or if you have a history of multiple sprains
• Do exercises to increase ankle strength and proprioception, which will reduce the chance of an ankle sprain far more than tape or a brace will

Taping or Bracing?

Braces are more costly initially, but cheaper than tape in the long run.  Also, it is easy to re-tie a brace.  Tape tends to loosen and often times needs to be re-done.  Unless you have suffered multiple ankle sprains, I would focus more on the exercises.  The exercises correct the underlying problem, while taping and bracing does not.