What is a sprained ankle? A sprain happens when there is damage to the ligaments that bind the bonds of the ankle joint. The ligaments that have been overstretched tear and may bleed and can be partially or completely ruptured. When the ankle sprains, usually the mortice joint is affected with the talus displaced causing stress on surrounding ligaments and muscle attachments. Often the lateral compartment (talofibular joint) is also affected. Sprained ankles are very common. 1 in 50 people consult a doctor regarding this problem every year.

How can chiropractic help?

Rehabilitation needs to be relevant to the injury. The key point of ankle rehabilitation is to improve proprioception of the joint. However, it is crucial that rehabilitation should not be done on an ankle that has not been realigned to its correct position as it is counterproductive. It will simply enforce a bad neurological pattern and most likely increase the chance of further injury in the future.

Chiropractors assess the spine and extremities such as the knees and the ankle. Foot bones shift out of their normal alignment during an ankle sprain. By realigning the bones of the foot and ankle to their correct positions, it removes stress on sprained ligaments, reduces the inflammation in the ankle and helps re-establish proprioception (awareness of joint position) which is important before rehabilitation begins.

Spinal adjustments are also delivered where needed to restore normal nerve supply to the ankle and help increase the speed of recovery. The sooner the adjustment is made to restore normal ankle mechanics the better as this will allow healing to begin.

Initial treatment for an ankle injury is to follow the RICE (Rest, Ice, Compression, Elevation) protocol. Resting your ankle means keeping weight off the ankle to prevent further injury. Following that, ice should be applied as it will help reduce pain, swelling and bruising, allowing the ankle to start healing sooner. Compression, or wrapping the injured area with elastic bandage, will also help decrease swelling. Elevating the injured area on pillows or higher surfaces keeps the area above the level of the heart.

Weight bearing x-rays are also used to help assess the position of bones in the ankle post injury and look for associated avulsion fractures. Your Gonstead Chiropractor is the best person to assess injury severity and create an appropriate treatment plan for you.