Physiotherapy for Ankle Sprains: What You Need to Know
Dealing with a sprained ankle can be incredibly frustrating. Even worse, suffering one ankle sprain makes it much more likely that you’ll suffer another! Fortunately, ankle sprain physiotherapy can help guide you through your rehabilitation, including strengthening your leg and ankle to help lower your risk of re-injury.
Ankle sprains are common injuries, especially for athletes and other active individuals. They occur when the ligaments around your ankle are stretched or torn, leading to pain, swelling, and a limited range of motion. Ignoring an ankle sprain–or not treating it properly–can lead to long-term issues. That’s where Rhema-Gold Physiotherapy comes in.
Our team offers personalized care that addresses your specific injury. Through various evidence-based techniques, we help reduce your discomfort, improve mobility, and strengthen the muscles around your ankle, facilitating your recovery and helping to prevent future injuries.
Interested in learning more about ankle sprain physiotherapy? Keep reading for an overview of our services–or call our clinic for more personalized information!
Have I Sprained My Ankle?
The first step in properly treating an ankle sprain is knowing when you’ve suffered one. They typically occur due to sudden twists or turns in the ankle joint, which is why they’re so common in sports and activities like walking on uneven surfaces. You might sprain your ankle after tripping, falling, or landing awkwardly after a jump.
Of course, you don’t sprain your ankle every time you trip, so how can you know when you’ve suffered an injury? Watch out for these symptoms:
- Pain, especially when putting weight on the affected foot
- Swelling and bruising around the ankle
- Reduced range of motion
- Tenderness to the touch
If you experience any of these symptoms and they don’t improve after a day or two of at-home care, it’s time to call the team at Rhema-Gold Physiotherapy. Even if your symptoms do improve, you may still want to work with a physiotherapist, especially if you’re an athlete. We can help you fully rehabilitate the injury, restoring strength and mobility so you can keep your ankle safe in the future.
How Will Physiotherapy Help My Ankle Sprain?
During your initial assessment, our physiotherapists will assess your injury, including testing your range of motion, strength, and the extent of damage to your ligament damage. This evaluation helps us tailor a treatment plan specifically for you.
Ankle sprain physiotherapy involves several effective techniques. One common method is manual therapy, where the therapist uses hands-on techniques to reduce pain, improve mobility, and boost blood circulation to the ankle. This helps facilitate the body’s natural healing process. Manual therapy techniques include guiding the ankle through its current range of motion or manipulating the soft tissue in the ankle and calf.
If needed, we might also use bracing or taping techniques to immobilize your ankle to protect the damaged tissue, especially in the early stages of your rehabilitation. We can also show you how to use any mobility aids (like crutches).
However, to rehabilitate your ankle, you’ll need to use targeted therapeutic exercises to strengthen the muscles around your ankle, improve balance and stability, and restore normal function. For instance, you might perform resistance band exercises to strengthen your lower body or challenge your balance by standing on one foot.
Don’t Let Your Ankle Sprain Go Untreated!
Ankle sprains are relatively minor injuries, but the Rhema-Gold Physiotherapy team will help you make the most of your recovery to return to your favorite activities (and reduce your odds of suffering another sprained ankle in the future).
Ready to get started? Schedule an appointment with us today!