Annelle injured her ankle after falling off a ladder from a lofted bed back in November. She sustained the injury while in Europe, and when she went to he hospital, doctors gave her bad medical advice that caused her to continue limping around on the injured ankle. Annelle eventually returned to her home country of Panama, where she had an MRI that revealed several torn ligaments in the lateral (outside) part of her ankle. Based on this diagnosis, Annelle was fitted with a walking boot that she was instructed to wear for six weeks. Finally, Annelle returned home and came to us at Dynamic Sports Physical Therapy in New York City for treatment.
Annelle begins treatment with Dynamic Sports Physical Therapy in New York City
When Annelle first visited us for treatment, it had been four weeks since she was given the boot. She stated that her goals of therapy were to return to running, which was not possible due to the condition of her ankle, and also to be able to wear high heels again, which had also become extremely difficult.
Upon our initial evaluation, we noticed that Annelle had very limited range of motion in her ankle and was not capable of bearing weight when she was not wearing the boot. Based on this diagnosis, we started with strengthening exercises for the ankle and hip that did not involve bearing any weight. We also worked on improving the mobility of her ankle by using manual therapy performed by the hands of her physical therapist and having her perform active range of motion exercises.
Treatment progresses
When Annelle was ready to bear weight on her ankle without use of the boot again, we progressed from static to dynamic stability exercises while standing. Dynamic exercises are more active than static exercises and keeps joints and muscles moving.
Eventually, Annelle’s doctor gave her clearance to start performing impact activities. With this, we started a progressive program to help her return to running that involved jumping, agility training and treadmill walk/jog intervals. Annelle also performed stability exercises while standing on a slant board in order to prepare her for walking in high heels. When the ankle is in a pointed position, which is required when walking in heels, it’s less stable. It was therefore important to train Annelle’s ankle in that position so she would be safe once wearing her heels again.
Back to running and high heels
Seven weeks after ditching the boot, Annelle was able to run on the treadmill, and soon after, she was confidently sporting a pair of high heels! Now that she is able to run again, her next goal is to prepare for a 5K!
Annelle had this to say about the success of her treatment program: “One thing that I would like other people to know is that my therapists really understood my situation and listened to everything I said about how I was feeling, and no detail was too small. This translated into my therapy being tailored exceptionally well to my circumstances. I was always challenged just the right amount, and I could both see and feel progress along the way. Because of this, I never grew discouraged and I was able to stay motivated throughout the entire course of my long treatment. In the end, thanks to all the focused work, the end result was better than I could have hoped for.”
Here at Dynamic Sports Physical Therapy in New York City, we appreciate Annelle’s kind words and are thrilled to see her back in heels and running again. As she points out, we listen closely to the problems each of our patients is experiencing, and never overlook any details in order to help them recover back to their pre-injury selves. If you’re dealing with an ankle sprain or any other type of injury, come see us to find out how we can help you. Contact Dynamic Sports Physical Therapy in New York City at 212-317-8303 to schedule an appointment, and click here to learn more about ankle sprains.
