HEALTH
Ankle Injuries Everything You Need to Know About Sports Most Common Affliction
W
ith the Chinese New Year break over and the weather getting ready to warm up, many of us are eager to hit the sports field or go for a run in the park. Whether you’re having a kickabout with friends or getting back into a serious training routine, you need to take care of your joints. Activities such as running, football and badminton are high-impact and put stress on weight-bearing joints, such as hips, knees and ankles. In fact, ankle injuries are the most common sports-related injury of all, with roughly half of all ankle sprains occurring during an athletic activity according to the American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons. So, what’s the best way to reduce the risk of damage, and what should you do if you injure your ankle? Read on for our tips.
HOW TO PREVENT INJURIES 1. Don’t Forget to Stretch Stretching before high-impact activities keeps the ligaments and tendons around the ankle flexible and responsive, reducing the risk of tears and ruptures. It takes less than a minute to do, but is absolutely essential. Simply roll your ankle a full 360 degrees clockwise 8-10 times, then anticlockwise another 8-10 times. Repeat with the other ankle. You can do this either sitting down or standing up. 2. Choose the Right Footwear Even walking can seem less than straightforward if the footwear is faulty. We can’t stress enough how many ankle injuries could be avoided by simply wearing proper shoes. Athletic footwear is designed to provide shock absorption, protecting your ankle joints from the stress being put on them. What’s more, appropriate shoes are sport-specific; football boots offer a different kind of support than basketball shoes because the physical engagement is different. So it pays to invest in a pair for each sport you play. And remember, “If the shoe fits, wear it!”
risk of wear and tear. Ideally, you should be running on a completely flat surface, which means you may have to sidestep the sidewalk in favor of a running track, or swap your patchy football field for some artificial turf.
SPRAINS VS. FRACTURES What’s the difference? A sprain occurs when the ligaments in the ankle are damaged. Ligaments are the stretchy bands of tissue that keep the joint in place, but they can be stretched too far and tear. A fracture is when one or more of the three bones in the ankle breaks. How can I tell which one it is? It can be difficult to know straight away whether the injury is a sprain or a fracture. Symptoms for both are often similar, e.g. bruising/swelling and not being able to put weight on the ankle. But there are some tell-tale signs: 1. Was there a sound? A popping sound usually indicates a sprain (a possible ligament tear), whereas a “crack” suggests a potential fracture. 2. Where is the pain? A sprain would usually be felt in the soft part of the joint. If it feels painful directly over the ankle bone, you may have broken it. 3. Can you put any weight on it?
3. Beware Uneven Surfaces
With a minor-to-moderate sprain, it may be possible to put a bit of weight on your ankle, but a fracture will be extremely painful and difficult to stand on.
Wonky surfaces will wreak havoc on your ankles. It’s best to avoid them if you want to reduce the
4. How quickly did bruising and swelling appear?
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