We all know the feeling all too well. You are walking along having a great conversation with your friend and don’t notice the uneven pavement. Then whoops you feel a snap and your foot rolls over. Or you might be playing tennis and trying to get that faraway ball and feel an unfortunate snap in your ankle. Ankle injuries can range from a minor twist to long-term joint pain and weakness if the sprains are repeated.

Ankle sprains are caused by making a rapid shifting movement with your foot planted causing the foot to roll outwards or inwards. This causes the ligaments on the outside of the ankle to stretch and possibly tear. Shortly after the sprain the ankle area will usually swell and be accompanied by pain. Usually the worse the sprain, the more pain and swelling.

The best course of action when treating sprained ankles is using the RICE method:

Rest-rest the ankle and limit the amount of weight you put on it. Use crutches if necessary

Ice-For at least the first 24 to 72 hours, or until the swelling goes down, apply an ice pack for 10 to 20 minutes every hour or two during the day. Always keep a thin cloth between the ice and your skin, and press the ice pack firmly against all the curves of the affected area.

Compression-Wearing a compression wrap for the first 24 to 36 hours will help reduce swelling. However, compression wraps don’t offer protection and you will need an ankle brace to protect your ankle if you try to put weight on it.

Elevation -Raise your ankle above the level of your heart for 2 to 3 hours a day to help to reduce swelling and bruising.

Ankle sprains can really affect your lifestyle making it difficult to maintain physical activity. However, if you follow the correct treatment you will get back to your previous level of activity sooner rather than later. The stronger your leg muscles are, the less likely you are to sprain an ankle and the more accustomed your brain is to anticipating and firing those muscles, the less injury-prone you will be. There are exercises and ways to prevent future ankle sprains. Wearing an ankle brace during recovery will help you with gaining mobility.

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You might know the feeling all too well. You are walking along having a great conversation with your friend and don’t notice the uneven pavement. Then whoops you feel a snap and your foot rolls over. Or you might be playing tennis and trying to get that faraway ball and feel an unfortunate snap in your ankle. Ankle injuries can range from a minor twist to long-term joint pain and weakness if the sprains are repeated.

Ankle sprains are caused by making a rapid shifting movement with your foot planted causing the foot to roll outwards or inwards. This causes the ligaments on the outside of the ankle to stretch and possibly tear. Shortly after the sprain the ankle area will usually swell and be accompanied by pain. Usually the worse the sprain, the more pain and swelling.

The best course of action when treating sprained ankles is using the RICE method:

Rest-rest the ankle and limit the amount of weight you put on it. Use crutches if necessary

Ice-For at least the first 24 to 72 hours, or until the swelling goes down, apply an ice pack for 10 to 20 minutes every hour or two during the day. Always keep a thin cloth between the ice and your skin, and press the ice pack firmly against all the curves of the affected area.

Compression-Wearing a compression wrap for the first 24 to 36 hours will help reduce swelling. However, compression wraps don’t offer protection and you will need an ankle brace to protect your ankle if you try to put weight on it.

Elevation- Raise your ankle above the level of your heart for 2 to 3 hours a day to help to reduce swelling and bruising.

Ankle sprains can really affect your lifestyle making it difficult to maintain physical activity. However, if you follow the correct treatment you will get back to your previous level of activity sooner rather than later. The stronger your leg muscles are, the less likely you are to sprain an ankle and the more accustomed your brain is to anticipating and firing those muscles, the less injury-prone you will be. There are exercises and ways to prevent future ankle sprains. Wearing an ankle brace during recovery will help you with gaining mobility.

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If you have ever had shin splints you know they are uncomfortable and painful. They are very common among athletes, especially runners. They are characterized by pain in the front or inside aspect of the lower leg due to overexertion of the muscles. The pain usually develops as a dull ache along the front or inside of the shin. If left untreated the pain could intensify and progress to an increased risk of developing stress fractures. Shin splints usually involve small tears in the leg muscles where they are attached to the shin bone. The two types of shin splints are: anterior shin splints and posterior shin splints.

Shin splints can be caused when the anterior leg muscles are stressed by running, especially on hard surfaces or extensively on the toes, or by sports that involve jumping. Wearing athletic shoes that don’t have enough shock absorption or are worn out can also contribute to shin splints. Over-pronated (flat feet) and people with high arches are also more susceptible shin splints.

If you do get shin splints decrease your activity level until the pain subsides and do not train through them. Runners should decrease their mileage for a week and avoid hills or really hard surfaces. If a muscle imbalance, poor running form or flat feet are causing the problem, a long-term solution might involve a stretching and strengthening program and orthotics that support the foot and correct over-pronation. Icing the area immediately after running or other exercise can also be effective, along with gentle stretching before and after training.

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Injuries sustained by individuals while playing high intensity sports or participating in demanding physical activities, such as a marathons, are usually more serious in nature compared to someone who just hurts themselves at home. More people increasingly participating in physical activities to better their health but at the same time they are also subjecting themselves to injuries. Many people live with with pain from injuries sustained while playing sports or other physical activities because they don’t want to give up the activity.

So how do we reduce our risk for injury? We all have been exposed to various techniques such as warming up, stretching, wearing protective equipment or not performing dangerous moves. But what many people don’t know is that footwear plays a large role in the occurrence of injuries Many people unknowingly wear the wrong footwear for their foot type or activity. If you are participating in an activity with fast, vigorous movements the type of footwear you wear is a very important decision. Contact us and we will be able to help you determine what shoe best fits you.

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