Avoid ankle sprains and enjoy the outdoors in the fall

Avoid Ankle Sprainsand Enjoy the Outdoors in the fall

Taking certain measures while you engage in walking, running, and playing your favorite sport in autumn can help prevent sprains and strains.

An ankle sprain occurs when one or more ligaments on the outer side of the ankle get overly stretched or torn. It is a common sports injury. However, sprains and strains are common in people of all ages in the fall, when they get outdoors to engage in activities like walking, running, hiking, or playing games such as basketball, handball, bowling, soccer, field hockey, cheerleading, volleyball, and more. In fact, this is the season when centers providing orthopedic care in Brooklyn see a large number of people coming in for sprained ankle treatment.

Causes The causes of a sprained ankle include twisting or turning of ankle due to a fall, landing awkwardly on the foot after jumping or pivoting, stepping in a hole, exercising or walking on an uneven surface or stepping on another athlete’s foot during play. Fall is the time of the year when the leaves fall heavily from the trees to the ground, days are shorter and nights are longer, sidewalks are wet and dark, puddles and other wet and slippery surfaces and ice and snow covers the walking surface or playing fields. The risks of slip and fall accidents are higher in autumn. Injuries to the ankles particularly, ankle sprains, occur when you try to stop your fall by stepping down hard with your feet, which causes the ankle to turn or twist unnaturally.

The symptoms of an ankle sprains include: swelling, tenderness, bruising, pain in and around the joint, inability to put weight on the affected ankle, skin discoloration, and stiffness How to Avoid Ankle Sprains in the Fall Warm Up – Warm up your muscles with some light exercise and dynamic stretching before beginning your activity. For instance, warming up before a run loosens up the muscles, bones, and joints, gradually brings up your heart rate, and makes it easier to get into the rhythm you want to sustain so you can run. Including slow and sustained stretches can reduce the risk of sprains.

Use proper shoes – To avoid falls and ankle sprains on wet leaves, wear non-slip shoes.

Choosing a thinner, more flexible shoe may help avoid a serious ankle injury. Make sure that the shoes fit properly. Firm heel support from a heel counter will help lock your heels in place. High-topped shoes that extend up over your ankle are recommended for athletic activities

Use the right technique – Whether you are walking, running, playing a sport or raking leaves, use the right technique. Do balancing exercises or ankle inversion exercise to strengthen your ankle muscles to guard against future sprains.

Pace yourself – Take breaks every half an hour or so. Stay hydrated to keep your muscles from cramping and working efficiently. If you are in pain, stop your activity.

Treatment for a Sprained Ankle If you happen to sprain your ankle, do the following things immediately to minimize pain and speed up recovery:  Rest the leg - Stop the activity that caused the injury, sit down and rest the ankle.  Cool with ice – Apply an ice or cold pack 3 or more times a day for 10 to 20 minutes to minimize swelling. You should not put ice straight onto the skin as it will cause a cold burn.  Apply pressure - Wrap a layer of soft padding such as a roll of cotton wool around the ankle. Apply pressure with a compression support or compression bandage to help limit swelling. This process should extend from the toes to the knee.  Elevate the ankle – Raise the ankle higher than the hip and support it in order to prevent swelling.

If the pain and swelling persist, get treatment in a reliable multispecialty health care and rehabilitation center in Brooklyn. Such centers offer safe and effective non-surgical treatment programs to help prevent chronic pain, instability, and other long-term problems.

Experienced pain management doctors will conduct a detailed medical evaluation to understand the severity of the injury, using X-ray or MRI scan if needed to rule out the broken bones in the ankle or foot.

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Depending on the nature of the injury, they will prepare a customized treatment plan which will include modalities such as ice or heat application, splinting or casting, ultrasound therapy, transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS), physical therapy with range-of-motion and stretching and strengthening exercises, myofascial release, traction therapy, foot levelers orthotics and Game Ready cold compression therapy. With the right treatment, they will help you manage pain, recover from your injury quickly and smoothly, and get back to enjoying your autumn activities.

(718) 769-2521

info@hqbk.com