Agony of the Ankle
This blog has been a long time coming! So many of my patients are repetitively going over on an ankle that has a history of getting into a disagreement with a curb, flip flop or a couple of ciders in the pub garden. On goes the frozen peas and zinc oxide tape, down goes the ibuprofen with a dose of rest with your feet up. Until the next time I say.. !
How does the ankle affect the body?
The ankle is the main foundations of our stability for all the other structures above. The knee, hip and back are all very reliant on having two stable ankles to help create a gait that supports the rest of the bodies movement. An ankle left weak after an injury will often create secondary injuries later on down the line, because the bodies movement becomes compromised.
What could be going on in the ankle?
Repetitive ankle rolling can cause arthritic changes within the joints of the ankle, and could even cause hair line fractures and bone fragments to be floating around within the ankle. Rupturing a ligament means added pressure on the rest of the soft tissue to support the joint, and can even tear off the bone it is attached to through sheer force.
What secondary problems can arise from a weak ankle?
Tight Calf muscles/ Plantar fascia: - The calf and plantar fascia become tight as they try and compensate for the weak structure.
Knee pain: - The weight of your body can often be greater on the inside of the knee, as the knee rotates inwards as a result of the ankle everting on landing. Hip or Lower back pain: - The hips can often become uneven because of one ankle being weaker, and your back muscles will become tight on one side to compensate for whats happening further down the chain.
SO many ankle injuries both acute and chronic have been a real eye opener this year. I have rehabilitated a handful of people that have received ankle surgery this year through spending many years with ankle issues. Hopefully, if we can nip it in the bud when the injury first occurs, it will save so many knees, backs and ankles from injury.
Take action Today
COMING soon - If you are a patient of Kendall sports therapy then an extensive ankle rehab program can be found on the website www.Kendallsportstherapy.co.uk/memberslogin
If you are not a Kendall sports therapy patient and would like a free telephone consultation to see if we can help you then please call 07730008604 or message Emily@kendallsportstherapy.co.uk.
