|
Sprained Ankle
Content provided by the Sports Injury Clinic
What
exactly is a sprained
ankle?
The ankle is a joint that comes under a lot of stress
during any Parkour session, and with the range of movement
and impacts it is put through – from vaults to balancing to
precision landings – it is highly susceptible to injury if even a
small mistake is made. The most common type of ankle injury is a
sprain: a sprain is stretching and tearing of ligaments (you sprain
a ligament and strain a muscle). The most common damage done in an
ankle sprain is to the talo-fibula ligament. If the injury is
worse you might also damage the calcanao-fibula ligament
which is towards the back of the heel. In addition to the ligament
damage you can also cause damage to tendons as well! So it pays to
be very wary of damaging your ankles and to avoid doing so by
concentrating on proper foot placement, mastering your approaches,
and nailing decent landings.
|
There are
three levels of ligament sprain:
First level:
- Some stretching or perhaps tearing
of the ligament.
- Little or no joint instability.
- Mild pain
- Little swelling
- Some joint stiffness.
Second level:
- Some tearing of the ligament fibres
- Moderate instability of the joint
- Moderate to severe pain
- Swelling and stiffness
Third level:
- Total rupture of a ligament
- Gross instability of the joint
- Severe pain initially followed by no
pain
- Severe swelling
What can
the traceur do?
- Aim to reduce the swelling by Diagnosis Rest, Ice, Compression,
Elevation as soon as possible. Getting the diagnosis right from the
start is important.
- Protect the injured ankle by taping or a support (although do not
rely on them for ever as this may weaken the joint).
- Rest the injured ankle - use crutches if necessary - no weight
bearing for 24 hours, but partial weight bearing as soon as pain will
allow.
- See a specialist who can advise on
rehabilitation including mobility, and strengthening.
What can be
done by a specialist?
- Prescribe anti inflammatory medication.
- Reduce swelling by compression devices.
- Use ultra sound and laser treatment.
- Use cross friction massage.
- Prescribe a full rehabilitation programme.
|
