We follow up on the article on the most common ankle sprains. This article focuses on the rehabilitation exercise that will help with an ankle sprain.
Rehabilitation For Ankle Sprain
Proper rehabilitative exercise is crucial in ensuring that new tissues are laid down and aligned properly during the healing phase. Rehabilitation exercise should comprise of four components:
Range of motion exercises
Progressive muscle-strengthening exercises
Proprioceptive/ balance training
Activity-specific training.
Below are some recommended exercises for ankle sprains that you can do at home. It is necessary to progressively increase the intensity of these exercises. Discuss with your sports physiotherapist so that they can progress you safely.
Range-of-Motion Exercise
Alphabet Exercise
Draw each letter of the alphabet in the air using your big toe as the “pencil”. Repeat the entire alphabet 5 times.
Attach one end of an elastic band (Theraband) to the leg of a chair. Loop the opposite end around the foot of the injured ankle. Keeping the heel on the ground, slide the foot outward (evert) as far as possible and hold for 10 seconds. Repeat 3 sets of 10 repetitions.
Heel Raises
Raise your heels up slowly by going into a tip-toe, and then slowly drop the heels back down. Repeat 3 sets of 10 repetitions.
Ankle Proprioception/Balance Exercise For Ankle Sprains
Single Leg Balance
Stand and balance on the affected leg for 30 to 60 seconds, repeat 3 sets. To increase the intensity, stand on a folded towel or repeat the exercise with eyes closed.
Activity-Specific Exercise For Ankle Sprains
2-Foot Lateral Jumps
Start with both feet on the side of a straight line. Hop side to side over the line for 3 sets of 10 repetitions. Try to jump and land on the ball of the foot
Experiencing ankle pain? Click here to find out more about physiotherapy for ankle pain relief and how Core Concepts can help
