Nobody likes to be sidelined by an injury, especially one that can limit your ability to stand and walk, such as an ankle injury. Exercise and playing sports are part of a healthy lifestyle, and if you want to continue being physically active, you should take precautions.
Sports injury prevention is something that every athlete and weekend warrior should learn. You may not always prevent injuries all the time, but reducing their frequency can help preserve the health of your bones, joints, and soft tissues and keep you playing your sport.
Let’s talk about some of the precautions you can take to avoid ankle sprains during sports and where you can go in MA for outstanding orthopedic care.
Always Warm Up Before a Game
Warming up increases blood flow to the muscles, makes them more flexible and better able to handle the rigors of the sport, and is a simple and effective way to prevent ankle injuries. Heel stretches, ankle circles, ankle pumps, calf raises, and shin raises help warm up your feet and ankles.
Strengthen Your Core
The sudden twists and turns can help prevent ankle sprains by strengthening your core. It is because strength in your core helps prevent the rolling of the ankles that often result in injury.
Wear The Right Shoes
The wrong shoes can increase your risk of ankle sprains and other foot injuries. You have to wear the right shoes for your sport, a pair that will provide support, cushioning, and shock absorption and prevent your ankles from rolling during a game. Athletic shoes can also become worn down and should be replaced when the time comes.
Work on Strengthening Your Legs and Ankles
Stronger ankles are less likely to become injured. Exercises to strengthen the ankles include toe pick-ups, towel tugs, foot rolls, and ankle pumps. Additionally, strengthening the legs is also important since they serve as the base of your feet. Consult an orthopedic specialist for the specific strengthening exercises for your legs and ankles.
Wear a Brace
Studies show that an ankle brace can lower the incidence of ankle injuries. An ankle brace provides extra support to the ankles, limits certain motions, and makes you more aware of where your ankle is in space.
Ankle Sprain Treatment in Hartford County, CT & Springfield, MA
Feeling an ache in your ankles could be the first sign of an injury. For the expert treatment of ankle sprains and customized recommendations for ankle injury prevention, choose Advanced Orthopedic New England.
We have plenty to offer athletes and weekend warriors in terms of specialized services. We have two orthopedic surgeons specialized in sports medicine – Dr. Jay Kimmel and Dr. Brett Wasserlauf – who can help you with injury treatment, performance enhancement, and injury prevention. We also have a foot and ankle specialist – Dr. Amanda Fantry – on our team, who offers a broad range of treatments for foot and ankle injuries and can give you the specialized care you need.
For any questions or to schedule an appointment with one of our physicians, call our office today at (860) 728-6740. We also accept patients with acute injuries in our walk-in clinics at our Enfield and Vernon locations.