Ankle Sprains

Ankle sprains can be a "gateway" injury to many other injuries in the body. Read about their anatomy and proper first aid here!  

Ankle Anatomy: Ankle sprains are one of the most common injuries that occur in basketball. The ankle joint is made up primarily of three bones, the tibia (shin bone) and the fibula which comprise the outer bones of the ankle and the talus which lies between these two bones. The fibula is secured to the talus on the outside of the ankle by the anterior talofibular (ATF) ligament and to the calcaneus by the calcaneofibular (CF) ligament. The tibia is secured to the talus on the inside of the ankle by the deltoid ligament.  

What is a sprain?: When the ankle is moved beyond its limit, the ligaments stretch and potentially tear. It is most frequently injured when a player lands on another player’s foot when landing from a jump, causing the ankle to roll too far inward. This is called an inversion ankle sprain and causes an injury to the ATF ligament. Another, less common, ankle sprain is when the ankle rolls too far outward, called an eversion sprain, causing injury to the deltoid ligament.  

Signs and Symptoms:

• Pain, especially with movement 
• Loss of range of motion 
• Swelling 
• Bruising  

What do I do if I sprain my ankle?

• Rest –Attempt to stay off ankle as much as possible, avoiding painful activities, for first 24-48 hours 
• Ice – Ice intermittently throughout day 20 minutes at a time 
• Compression – Use an ACE bandage or compression sleeve to help minimize and reduce swelling 
• Elevate – Keep foot rested, preferably above heart level  
• 

What types of exercises can I do at home?

• Ankle Pumps – While elevated, pump ankle back and forth within pain tolerance to help increase range of motion and decrease swelling 
• ABCs – While elevated, draw both capital and lower case letters of the alphabet 
• Three way ankle (if pain free): 

All of OSR's Physical Therapists are skilled in treating sports injuries including ankle sprains. This article was submitted by Jason Kopp, ATR located in our Chanhassen office. 

OSR's ACL Injury Prevention Program

OSR’s ACL Injury Prevention Program is designed to help young athletes avoid non-contact ACL injuries as well as improve their overall performance. ACL injuries occur at a staggering rate. Research shows that 1 in every 100 high school participants will experience an ACL injury.  Of those injuries, 70% are non-contact injuries.  Moreover, females are 5-10 times more likely to suffer ACL tears than males.  The frequency upon which these ACL incidences occur is alarming for our young athletes.  An ACL injury presents unique treatment obstacles and is of a severity that implicates the athlete’s future for years to come.

OVERVIEW OF OSR’S PROGRAM

As a full-service physical therapy clinic, OSR strives to provide its patients with the type of preventative care related to ACL injuries.  OSR’s ACL Injury Prevention Program has been designed specifically for female athletes and has demonstrated a 74% decrease in ACL injuries. 

OSR utilizes the Sportsmetrics program to increase knee stability, alignment and strength. Sportsmetrics is the first ACL injury prevention program scientifically-proven to help young athletes avoid non-contact ACL injuries and improve performance.

OSR’s Sportsmetrics Program begins with an initial evaluation of each individual to determine specific athletic strengths and weaknesses. This evaluation will provide a baseline for the program’s design. Each athlete will be screened using video analysis for landing, cutting and jumping techniques. As these measurements continue to increase, we see a direct correlation of injury decrease.

There are three phases to OSR’s Sportsmetrics program:

• Dynamic Warm-up: Prepares the body with functional-based activities that use sport-specific motions. It raises core body temperature, increases blood flow to the muscles and improves flexibility, balance and coordination.
• Plyometrics/Jump Training: Plyometrics, the core of the Sportsmetrics™ program, correct an athlete’s jumping technique.  This phase is divided into three two-week phases. Each phase has a different training focus and the exercises change accordingly. Plyometrics develop the muscle control and strength critical for reducing the risk of knee injury and increasing jump height.
• Speed and Agility Training: Emphasizes body alignment and form through the use of sprinting exercises and cutting movements. The goal of speed and agility training is to condition and increase skill level to empower the athlete so he or she can continue performing at his or her optimal level. 

OSR’s Sportsmetrics Program consists of approximately 45-60 minute sessions at a frequency of three days per week for six weeks.  Programs of this kind are scientifically proven to provide maximum preventative benefit. We pride ourselves on the fact that our program facilitates a uniquely individualized program that will increase an athlete's overall strength, power, explosiveness, body position and neuromuscular control, improving the athlete’s overall performance.

IMPROVEMENT AND PERFORMANCE TRACKING

Each athlete will be evaluated on the first and last day of the 6-week training period. This analysis includes video analysis which investigates an athlete’s knee position in relation to the hips and ankles. This is a critical component to the program, which works to align the hips, knees and ankles promoting the same width between these body parts during all activities.  This alignment decreases the risk of an ACL injury.

Unfortunately, especially in young athletes, this alignment is not naturally present.  Each athlete will receive an individualized analysis that tracks his or her performance from the beginning of the program to the end. The printout below is an example of the tracking methods provided as part of the OSR Program.  

 

The severity of an ACL injury necessitates a proactive approach to preventative measures. OSR seeks to protect its patients from these injuries by utilizing one of the most renowned programs, Sportsmetrics, providing an individualized program for each athlete, and tracking the athlete’s progress to encourage peak performance.   

This article was written by Brian Ommen, DPT. Brian works out of our Chanhassen office.