Sprained Ankle Awareness

Spring is sports season for many amateur athletes and weekend warriors. It's also ankle sprain season for many of those individuals.

Ankle sprains are one of the most common sports injuries that are treated this time of year.

As people emerge from their winter hibernation and start to get active again, they can injure their ankles playing sports such as basketball, baseball, tennis, and soccer.

Anyone who injures an ankle requires prompt medical treatment, whether it's their first sprain or their fifth. Rest, ice, compression and elevation (R.I.C.E.) can reduce swelling and pain until the ankle can be evaluated and treated by a foot and ankle surgeon. A sprain may not always be a sprain; the ankle could be fractured.

Many athletes develop chronic ankle instability from repeated ankle sprains, causing their ankle to frequently "give way." In some cases these players may require surgery. Proper rehabilitation of an ankle sprain reduces the likelihood of developing chronic ankle instability.

Here are 3 spring ankle sprain prevention tips from FootHealthFacts.org:

Perform warm-up stretches and exercises before playing sports.
Wear the right shoes for the sport. For example, don't wear running shoes for sports that involve a lot of side-to-side movement, such as tennis and basketball.
Wear an ankle brace if you're recovering from an injury or have repeatedly sprained your ankle.

FootHealthFacts.org is the consumer Web site of the American College of Foot and Ankle Surgeons (ACFAS). Dr. Hopkins is a member of the ACFAS and is board certified in reconstructive foot and ankle surgery. He has been practicing in Olympia for 3 years. Dr. Hopkins can be contacted at his office, South Sound Foot & Ankle at 360-456-3171 for any questions or to schedule an appointment.

Author

Mark Hopkins, DPM

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