Today, many people are affected by the condition of their feet due to insufficient physical activity and shoes that do not fit well. The knee and foot are particularly vulnerable to damage resulting from the reasons mentioned above.
What is an ankle sprain?
An ankle sprain is one of those conditions that affect people of all ages. A sprained ankle is different from strains or muscle fractures. This disease occurs when the ligaments that connect the bones of the ankle are injured due to excessive stretching and develop tears.
Ligaments are strips of tissue that help connect the bones that make up a joint, such as the knee or ankle. This may be due to accidents such as foot movement while walking or running on hard or uneven surfaces. This can also be due to the use of high-heeled and light-weight shoes.
How to prevent ankle sprain?
The ankle joint provides stability and allows lateral movements, such as turning when walking or running. The ligaments are stretched while performing activities such as playing sports, moving on difficult terrain or walking with high-heeled shoes, often far beyond their capacity.
It is advisable to do stretching and warm-up exercises before practicing high-intensity sports such as tennis, basketball, and soccer. You should also wear well-padded shoes, fitted at the ankle and equipped with a thick heel. Finally, avoid walking on uneven surfaces with pebbles and holes as much as possible.
Tips for Preventing Ankle Sprains
Warm up
Adding warm-up exercises to your daily routine helps your body prepare for activities. A good warm-up will not only prepare your muscles and joints, but it will also help your heart and lungs prepare for the effort.
Balance exercises
Everything you can do to help balance your body will help prevent injuries to the ankles and other joints. By challenging your balance skills, you reinforce your proprioception, which is your body’s ability to understand where its members are at all times. As for the ankles, your legs are less likely to disappoint you or make another mistake that could hurt you.
Plyometric exercises.
These types of exercises include jumps, jumps, jumps and other activities that involve bouncing the ground. It is an excellent way to condition and strengthens the muscles, as well as the ligaments and tendons of the ankle so that they are prepared for exhausting activities.
Choose ideal footwear
Try different types of shoes until you feel your feet as if they are supported and comfortable. The right pair of shoes stabilize your ankles and also provides comfort to your feet. They should also support the leg when walking, jogging or running.
Strapping
If you have a weakened ankle or a recent injury, wrapping it in a ribbon can give you a little more support and stability. If done correctly, this method can even support injured ankles so you can walk on them.
As with all joints and muscle ligaments, some preventive tactics can prevent injuries or mitigate the impact that an injury could have on your body. Due to the complexity of the ankle joint, keeping it supported and flexible helps reduce the risk of serious injury. Some preventive actions can prevent you from suffering a serious injury that can have a lasting impact on your body for months or even years.
Some of the common symptoms associated with ankle sprains are dull and throbbing pain in the foot, especially when the ankle is twisted at dawn and the redness affects the affected area. Difficult to walk due to the stiffness of the joints.
The symptoms often vary depending on the severity of the disease. For example, if the twisted ankle is simply due to excessive stretching of the ligaments, the pain will decrease if it rests.
However, if the disease is due to a slight or complete tear of the ligament, it is recommended to seek immediate medical attention to avoid long-term damage. Timely medical attention helps prevent the disease from becoming chronic and guarantees a rapid healing process.
First aid for the twisted ankle.
First aid for ankle sprain requires rest, application of ice on the affected area and the use of a compression band or ankle support to reduce swelling. Sleeping with raised ankles above the level of the heart also provides pain relief.
Treatment options for a sprained ankle include
Complete immobilization with plaster and crutches. Physiotherapy to strengthen the ankle joint and increase flexibility. Medications to reduce pain and inflammation. Apply an ice pack for 5 to 10 minutes every 2 to 3 hours until the swelling disappears. Use of ankle straps and compression straps Stability of ankle surgery in case of severe ligament injury.
People who lead a predominantly sedentary lifestyle should exercise moderately rather than intensively. In addition, any physical activity should not be done in small bursts, but in a rhythm preceded by warming and, preferably, followed by a message. This would help prevent injuries such as ankle sprains that have long-term effects on quality of life.
Here are some tips to avoid ankle sprains:
- Always do warm-up exercises, then use the recommended techniques of ankle stretching before exercising, exercising or doing any type of physical activity.
- The use of ankle braces, shoes or tapes that stop high can be useful for patients with ankle sprains.
- Observe your steps when running or walking on cracked or uneven surfaces.
- Do not exaggerate things. If you are tired or if your level of fatigue is severe, you are more likely to have a sprained ankle. Stop or slow down what you are doing, or try to take extra precautions to watch when you are tired.
- In the past, if you had a sprained ankle, make sure it is completely healed before starting any physical activity.
- Buy good shoes that fit your feet well and keep them well tied when you wear them. One of the main causes of ankle sprain in women is the use of high-heeled shoes. So try to reduce the heel of the shoe.
- Include pre-housing exercises in your daily diet. They would help to strengthen the stabilizing muscles and also improve coordination so that your muscles would have a quick activation needed to protect the ankle.