A Guide to Sprained Ankles for Athletes
Basketball season is here. So is club volleyball and soccer. So let’s touch on one of the most common injuries these athletes experience – sprained ankles. Our team of sports physical therapists huddled up to breakdown all the info you need to know about ankle sprains, what all is affected, what the rehab process can look like and more. At APEX Performance Wellness and Rehab, we specialize in helping athletes and active adults in Tigard, Oregon, regain strength, stability, and confidence after an ankle sprain. Here’s everything you need to know about understanding and recovering from an ankle sprain injury.
Common Types of Ankle Sprains
- Lateral Ankle Sprain (Inversion):
- Most common type.
- Occurs when the foot rolls inward, overstretching the lateral ligaments (primarily the anterior talofibular ligament, or ATFL).
- Medial Ankle Sprain (Eversion):
- Less common.
- Happens when the foot rolls outward, affecting the deltoid ligament.
- High Ankle Sprain (Syndesmotic):
- Involves ligaments connecting the tibia and fibula above the ankle.
- Often more severe and requires longer recovery.
The Ankle & What Else is Affected?
Recovery timelines vary depending on the severity of the sprain:
- Mild Sprain (Grade 1):
- Recovery: 1-3 weeks.
- Goals: Reduce swelling, restore range of motion, and begin light strengthening exercises.
- Moderate Sprain (Grade 2):
- Recovery: 3-6 weeks.
- Goals: Gradual weight-bearing, progressive strengthening, and stability exercises.
- Severe Sprain (Grade 3):
- Recovery: 6-12 weeks or longer.
- Goals: Comprehensive rehabilitation, including advanced stability work, proprioception training, and sport-specific drills.
Precautions for Playing Through a Sprained Ankle
Many athletes are tempted to “push through” a sprained ankle, but this approach often leads to complications:
- Delayed Healing: Playing too soon can worsen the injury, leading to chronic instability or further ligament damage.
- Compensatory Injuries: Strain on the opposite leg, knee, or hip due to altered movement patterns can cause additional issues.
- Reduced Performance: Pain and instability hinder agility, speed, and strength, limiting overall athletic performance.
Metrics for Return-to-Play Readiness
At APEX PWR, we take a data-driven approach to assess readiness for returning to play. We utilize force plates throughout the rehabilitation process to gain a precise understanding of strength and power asymmetries between limbs. Our team evaluates:
- Range of Motion (ROM): Ensuring it’s equal or near-equal to the uninjured side.
- Strength: Measured using functional tests like single-leg calf raises and resistance exercises, as well as force plate data to quantify improvements.
- Stability: Ability to balance on the affected ankle for 30 seconds without compensation or discomfort.
- Pain-Free Movements: Assessment of running, cutting, and jumping without pain or hesitation.
- Sport-Specific Drills: Completion of movements unique to the athlete’s sport with confidence and precision.
This data-driven testing gives athletes and active adults a clear picture of their progress and readiness to return to their favorite activities safely.
Maintaining Cardio and Endurance During Recovery
One of the challenges of recovering from a lower extremity injury like a sprained ankle is the potential loss of cardio and endurance. At APEX PWR, we provide solutions to maintain and even improve cardiovascular fitness throughout rehabilitation. Using specialized equipment and customized plans, we help clients stay active without compromising their recovery. Tools and strategies include:
- Battle Ropes: An excellent option for maintaining cardio fitness without stressing the injured ankle.
- Seated Exercises: Check out the video below of Dr. Emily, DPT, demonstrating 3 exercises she likes to use for patients going through a lower extremity injury like an ankle sprain or even ACL surgery.
- Interval Training: Going along with the seated exercises, our sports physical therapy team can create intervals or circuits with these movements (and others) to keep the heart rate up and challenged so that returning to running and sports is less difficult when the time comes.
By incorporating these tools, we ensure that clients stay physically fit and maintain their endurance levels while their ankle heals.
Proactive Steps for a Stronger Return
A comprehensive rehabilitation plan ensures that athletes and active adults return to their activities stronger and more resilient than before. Our approach includes:
- Progressive Exercises: Starting with non-weight-bearing movements and gradually adding resistance and dynamic challenges.
- Balance Training: Utilizing balance boards, single-leg drills, and force plate feedback for precise improvements.
- Strength Training: Utilizing a variety of equipment from kettlebells, dumbbells and barbells and as the physical therapy progresses, involving the sled, turf and agility drills.
- Education: Teaching proper warm-ups, landing techniques, and movement mechanics to prevent re-injury.
At APEX PWR, we understand that every athlete’s recovery journey is unique. By combining advanced technology like force plates with our expertise in physical therapy, we provide personalized care that gets you back to your best. If you’re dealing with a sprained ankle, don’t wait—contact us today to schedule an assessment and start your journey toward recovery.
Optimize your recovery with sprained ankle physical therapy in Tigard at APEX Performance Wellness and Rehab! Learn more here about physical therapy at APEX.
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