The lower the location of a joint in the body, the more weight it’s responsible for supporting. The ankles, then, have the tall task of supporting the weight of the entire body, and this is one of the main reasons they are injured so frequently. For the athletic population, ankle sprains are actually the most common injury sustained, and they can throw a wrench in the spokes of an athlete’s season. Fortunately for you, our physical therapists are equipped to provide top-notch ankle sprain treatment in New York City.
If you play sports, there’s a fairly strong chance you will sprain your ankle at some point in your career. Ankle sprains account for up to 45% of all sports injuries, and approximately 25,000 people sprain their ankle every day in the U.S. The sport you play will also affect your odds, as the majority of these sprains (41%) occur in basketball, followed by football and then soccer. This mainly has to do with the movements that are common in each sport, and basketball involves lots of jumping and cutting, which are both largely responsible for ankle sprains.
Ankle sprains involve the ligaments of the ankle joint, which are flexible bands of tissue that connect one bone to another. Ligaments are elastic and can be stretched to a certain length and then return to their original position, but they have a limit. When any of the ligaments in the ankle is stretched beyond its maximum range of motion, damage will occur and result in an ankle sprain.
Ankle sprains are generally categorized into the following three degrees:
Grade 1 (mild): ligament(s) stretched but there is no tear
- Symptoms: mild pain and tenderness, some swelling and stiffness
Grade 2 (moderate): most common type of sprain; ligament(s) partially torn
- Symptoms: significant swelling and bruising, moderate pain, trouble walking
Grade 3 (severe): ligament(s) completely torn
- Symptoms: severe swelling and pain, especially while walking, instability of joint, extreme loss of motion, possible difficulty bearing weight on foot
In addition to the grade, ankle sprains are also categorized based on their location and how they occur. A lateral ankle sprain, which affects the outside of the ankle, is the most common type of ankle sprain. This occurs when the foot rolls inward and stretches the ligaments in this region, usually when someone steps on uneven ground or lands wrong.
Ankle sprain treatment in New York City
If you do experience an ankle sprain in New York City, the prognosis is usually quite good and you can typically expect to get back to sports within about 4-6 weeks; however, proper treatment from a physical therapist is necessary for a full recovery and to reduce your chances of experiencing another ankle sprain. Here’s what our programs will include for ankle sprain treatment in New York City:
- RICE: rest, ice, compression and elevation
- Range of motion exercises: these stretching exercises are designed to restore your normal ankle movement with gentle motions
- Strengthening exercises: these types of exercise will help you regain your strength and prevent any long-term ankle disability
- Balance training: this intervention will help you get more stable and learn to deal with any potential hazards you may encounter
- Functional training: learn to complete activities you might have difficulty in your particular sport
At Dynamic Sports Physical Therapy, we see patients with ankle sprains on a constant basis. As a result, we have become experts at providing optimal ankle sprain treatment in New York City for athletes of just about any sport. If you’ve recently sprained your ankle, come see us right away for an individualized program that will get you back on your feet and into your respective sport in no time. Contact us at 212-317-8303 to schedule an appointment today, and for more information on ankle sprains, read our next blog to see how our treatment can help.
