Ankle sprains occur when the ligaments in the ankle are stretched or torn, usually from a sudden shift in movement. Symptoms include swelling, tenderness, and bruising. People who have previously sprained their ankle are at higher risk of re-injury. To prevent ankle sprains and re-injury, regular stretching, strengthening, and balance exercises are recommended to improve flexibility, strength, and proprioception in the ankle. A study found that athletes who did home proprioceptive training after an ankle sprain were less likely to suffer re-injury within a year compared to those who did not do home training.

1. Sports Injuries
How to Avoid Ankle
Sprains and Re-Injury

2. Ankle Sprains - The Basics
● Ankle sprains are not uncommon, especially not for people who play sports, and it is easy to identify
whether you are suffering from one.
● Most ankle sprains are caused by a rapid shift in movement when your foot is planted firmly on the
ground, and the pain is felt immediately.
● Events such as being tackled in a game of football can cause your ankle to twist or roll, which results in
the ligaments in your ankle stretching, and in more severe cases, tearing.
● You will be aware of a sprained ankle quickly, as swelling, tenderness, and possibly bruising will
surface right away.

3. Ankle Sprains - The Basics
● The intensity of the sprain depends on how badly the ligaments in your ankle have been damaged, and
how many ligaments have been affected.
● Those who are suffering from a mild sprain will find that they are still able to walk steadily, though
they will feel a small pain and their ankle may be tender and swollen.
● A sprain that is more severe will quickly display bruising, and the victim will find that walking is
extremely painful, and the ankle will feel unsteady and unable to support the body weight.
● The more swollen and bruised your ankle is, and the more pain you feel, the more severe the sprain
will be, and the longer it will take to heal.

4. After a Sprain - The Risk of Re-Injury
● People with a history of ankle injury, whether it is one sprain or 20, are more
susceptible to future injury.
● As a result, it is important for those who have suffered an ankle sprain to
undertake preventative methods against re-injury.
● It is also important to ensure that their initial sprain has had a proper and
complete recovery, otherwise their chances of suffering from a re-injury is
much higher.

5. After a Sprain - The Risk of Re-Injury
● The Journal of Physiotherapy published findings that stated people who suffered a
re-sprain, or a re-injury, within the initial three months of their first sprain, were found to
do so as a result of incomplete recovery.
● The study found that three months after a sprain, 65% of the 102 participants reported a
feeling of instability in their ankles, and 24% reported one or more re-sprains.
● After a year, 55% continued to report a feeling of instability, with 50% saying that they
didn’t feel as though they had recovered completely.

6. How Can Ankle
Sprains and
Re-Injury Be
Prevented?
● The occurrence of ankle sprains
is much less common in people
who have good strength,
flexibility, and balance, and so
there are several steps you can
take to improve these areas and
lessen your chance of suffering
from an ankle sprain or
re-injury.

7. Stretching
● Stretching before and after
exercising should be something
you do no matter what, as it
helps to increase your flexibility
and eases any soreness you may
feel after your exercise.
● For stretches that specifically
benefit your ankles, target areas
that stretch your calves and
heels.

8. Strengthening
● To aid your improvement in
your ankle strength, you may
need to purchase a heavy
rubber band, which will be
available at most sport stores or
pharmacies.
● With this band, you can carry
out several exercises that focus
on working on the muscles in
your feet and ankles.

9. Improving Balance
● The rubber band that helps to
improve your strength can also
help to improve your balance.
● By tying the band in a loop,
placing one end around a post in
the ground and the other
around one of your ankles, you
can practise balancing on the
other ankle while the one
attached to the band moves
around the post.

10. ● A study carried out by The Journal of Physiotherapy found that athletes who
had already suffered from an ankle sprain were less likely to suffer from a
re-sprain within a year of their original injury if they undertook proprioceptive
training in their own time.
● The athletes undertook an 8-week program consisting of three 30-minute
training sessions a week, and were also provided with ample information,
exercise sheets, and a balance board to help improve their understanding of the
injury and rehabilitation process.
Home Training

11. ● At the end of the study, it was found that in the following year, only 22% of the
athletes who had undergone training in their homes suffered from a re-injury,
compared to 33% of athletes who did not carry out home training.
● Therefore, we can conclude that taking the time to train properly to increase
your strength, balance, and flexibility can significantly lessen your chance of
suffering from an ankle sprain.
Home Training (cont’d)

12. For more
information on
sports physio in
Perth, contact us
today.