ANKLE SUPPORTS AS A PREVENTIVE MEASURE.
An ankle support or ankle brace is also very effective and useful for preventive purposes. This is particularly true for sports that are intense and involve a lot of footwork, such as tennis, padel or bandy. Many athletes who have experience of previous sprains and foot problems use ankle supports to avoid re-injuring their feet.
ANKLE BRACE OR COMPRESSION WRAP?
Wrapping the foot with an ordinary gauze bandage is excellent and can be recommended, especially in the acute phase of the injury. But for those who are not so knowledgeable about the technique of wrapping, it may be easier, better and more convenient to use a ready-made ankle protector relatively early in the rehabilitation process where the protector is pulled over the foot.
ANKLE INJURY - THE DIFFERENT PHASES
Ankle ligament injury is one of the most common sports injuries and occurs in most sports. In orienteering, for example, more than half of all acute injuries are related to the ankle.
An ankle injury occurs when you step wrong, causing your foot to bend. The injury almost always affects the outside of the ankle where the ligaments are located. If the same joint is affected several times, this can lead to stretching of the ligament and loss of stability in the foot.
If you have sprained your foot and experience pain or swelling, it is always recommended that you see a doctor in order to perform an X-ray examination to rule out a fracture.
PHASE 1 - THE MOMENT OF INJURY
Immediately stop the activity you are doing.
Take a compression bandage and wrap it tightly around the injury to stop the swelling and bleeding. Try to wrap as tightly as possible. Do this as quickly as possible after the injury. Every minute counts! Tip: always keep a compression bandage in your gym bag. If you're not the one suffering, someone else might need it!
Keep your foot elevated and cool your ankle.
PHASE 2- ACUTE PHASE (FIRST DAYS AFTER THE INJURY)
Keep the wrap on even during the first 2-3 days. Decrease the pressure slightly and load very gently.
PHASE 3 - FIRST TWO WEEKS AFTER INJURY
Gradually try to load the injured foot. Depending on the severity of the injury, loading may be limited at first (walking with crutches). A very good exercise is toe raises in water. The water carries some of the body weight and reduces the load. In addition, the pressure of the water helps to reduce swelling.
PHASE 4 - RECONSTRUCTION PHASE AFTER THE ANKLE INJURY
Get help from a professional to develop an exercise programme tailored to your ankle injury. There are many good and simple rehab exercises that do not require equipment. For example, toe raises or various balance exercises.
As soon as you can and dare, it is good to resume as much physical activity as possible. In this phase, it may be advisable to use an ankle brace that stabilises the foot and allows you to put weight on it. It is also possible to continue using a compression bandage for support.
TIPS FOR AVOIDING REPEATED ANKLE INJURIES
Exercise. Practise strength and coordination regularly.
Warming up. Warm up properly before playing sports. Use liniment as a preventive measure before you start exercising.
Stretching: Stretch after exercise.
Shoes. Wear shoes that are adapted to the surface you are exercising on. Remember to tie your shoelaces.
Ankle protection as a preventive measure. An ankle brace or ankle protection is very effective and good to use as a preventive measure. This is especially true for sports that are intense and involve a lot of footwork, such as tennis, padel or bandy. Many athletes who have experience of previous sprains and foot problems use ankle supports to avoid re-injuring their feet.
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