5 Techniques to Help Prevent an Ankle Injury

January 03, 2017 1 Comment

There are no guaranteed ways to prevent ankle-related injuries in sports and exercise. Unfortunately, these types of injuries are some of the most common injuries in a majority of the sports in America. According to the American College of Sports Medicine, 25,000 Americans suffer from ankle sprains each day. According to the Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons, 40% of all ankle injuries are related to basketball. These unfortunate situations also occur in tennis, baseball, football, and other contact or non-contact sports alike due to awkward movements or lack of stability of the athletes' feet. Below, we will learn a few useful ways to lessen the chances of suffering from ankle injuries that causes so many athletes to miss days, weeks, or even months from their respective sports.

1) Strengthen the Ankles

Stability of the feet is necessary to performing everyday activities; therefore, the following tip is useful whether or not a person is actively involved in sports. People with weak muscles around their feet and ankles are more likely to suffer from ankle injuries, as they may have a difficult time stabilizing their bodies from the ground up in strenuous situations. One of the most practical ways to strengthen these muscles is to use of a rubber band or towel to do certain exercises. To perform these exercises, you should wrap the rubber band or towel around the foot while holding it firmly, thus providing some form of resistance while repeatedly moving your foot up and down or side to side. If you have neither a rubber band nor towel on hand, you can simply sit down comfortably while lifting the feet off the ground and imagine using your toes to draw the letters A,B,C....all the way to Z. This will improve strength, as well as range of motion, in your ankles.

2) Work on Balance

Improving our ability to balance allows our bodies to maintain control of itself in different types of positions. There are various ways to work on balance, whether it is through yoga, core exercises, squats, or exercises on a BOSU ball. One of the easiest ways to improve balance is to simply stand on one leg. Stand on one leg while performing a daily activity such as folding laundry, washing dishes, or even brushing your teeth. As you become stronger, you will be able to hold that position longer. When you are able to successfully stand this way for 30 seconds, further challenge yourself by standing on one leg on a less stable surface, i.e. a cushion. After mastering this feat, you will be ready to take it to the next level by standing on one leg with your eyes closed.  Please finish washing those dishes before closing your eyes!  You wouldn't want to miss a spot, would you?

3) Improve Flexibility

When our bodies are at rest (not performing physical activities) for an extended period of time, our muscles tighten, resulting in a lack of flexibility in certain parts of the body. This inflexibility can cause us to move awkwardly when making sudden movements, thus leading to injuries. This is especially true for the lower extremities where the ankles, a significant support for our lower bodies, can be injured. Stretching will improve flexibility, and is therefore recommended at the beginning of each exercise session.  Before stretching, it is imperative to warm up adequately by jogging lightly, biking slowly, or doing any other gradual movements. After warming up and stretching, the body will then be ready to take the exercise session head on.

4) Ankle Tape or Brace

Many argue whether or not wearing a brace or taping the ankle before play is beneficial. Some athletes claim that taping or wearing an ankle brace slows them down or even causes the muscles around their ankles to become weaker; however, it is known that tape and braces do secure and stabilize the ankles during play. Which one to wear is a matter of personal preference - try each and then make your decision.  Learning from an athletic trainer how to properly tape your ankle is very important in order to avoid compromising your blood circulation by wrapping the tape too tightly.

5) Wear Double Impact Socks

Wearing ElSo's Double Impact Socks allows athletes' feet to be secure in their shoes during exercise. According to athletes who have worn ElSo's Double Impact Socks, these socks are the most comfortable, most supportive, and overall the best socks they have ever worn. The additional support that ElSo's Double Impact Socks provide offers more ankle support than any other socks on the market today, giving the athlete the ankle and foot support necessary during exercise.

Try ElSo's Double Impact Socks today and experience the comfort and protection benefits of this revolutionary sock.

Shop Double Impact Socks.

 

References

'Ankle Sprain Statistics and Information'

http://anklerollguard.com/ankle-sprain-stats--info.html

'Preventing Ankle Sprains'

http://health.williams.edu/keephealthy/general-health-concerns/preventing-ankle-sprains/

'5 Ways to Reduce Your Chance of an Ankle Sprain.' Last modified November 15, 2011

http://www.athletico.com/2011/11/15/5-ways-to-reduce-your-chance-of-an-ankle-sprain/

 

This blog post was written by a professional basketball player. The content published in this blog post represents opinions of the writer, based on research (see references) and experience in the field of play. This content is for informational purposes and should not be taken as medical advice, or for making personal health decisions.

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