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If you have sprained your ankle, moving it is often the last thing you want to do.
Resting and applying ice are the traditional remedies, however your physiotherapist may be able to help you get back to your usual self faster with some quick exercises early on. You may even find that the experience is actually less painful than just letting it heal on its own.
Starting physiotherapy early helps
It’s tempting to just try to wait out the injury and only seek out physiotherapy if the pain persists. You may have been advised to ice the area and keep it immobile. While this works for many people and is appropriate in the early stages of recovery, nearly a third continue to have pain or other symptoms long after the injury. In fact, sprains seem to cause about 13% of all cases of arthritis that arise from an injury, so the effects of avoiding treatment early on can be quite long lasting.
A study of those receiving a consultation and treatment with a physiotherapist right after the sprain and those simply self-treating at home after the initial hospital treatment found that those who underwent physiotherapy, regardless of the exact treatment plan, had much better recovery after six weeks and three months: they returned to work faster, they had better range of motion, their balance was better and they had much less pain.
What should you expect?
One of the biggest benefits of having a physiotherapist evaluate your ankle sprain and prescribe treatment is that the balance between immobilising a joint after injury and getting back into physical activity is very delicate, and getting that timing right will mean a quicker, fuller recovery. Although every treatment plan is different, typically your physiotherapist will have you keep the ankle still for a short time to get the swelling down, but then will work on rehab exercises such as range of motion, strength, and balance, with you soon after.
Prevent future injuries
The best part about receiving proper care from your physiotherapist is not just that you’ll feel better faster; it’s that the right balance and strengthening programme can actually help you to prevent future sprains. Multiple studies have shown that the incidence of ankle sprains decreases notably when athletes undergo regular balance training, and the benefit was most pronounced for those who had sustained a sprain in the past.
Physiotherapy interventions early in the stages of recovery for an ankle sprain can help you get back on your feet more quickly, with less pain along the way, and help you prevent a future injury of the same type. For prevention work or for treatment of an acute ankle sprain, contact your physiotherapist to determine an appropriate treatment plan.
We will be happy to talk to you and answer any questions you may have about whether physiotherapy is right for you.
For more information, please feel free to get in touch:
Tel: 0113 229 1300
Website: Contact Us Form
