Is it possible that you are one of those people who always hurt their ankle?

Part and parcel of being active is ankle injuries.

If it happens again and again, here's what you can do to reduce your risk.

One sprain can lead to another… and another

According to a review in the journal Sports Medicine, most people who play sports or train can expect to have a low incidence of ankle injuries.

The report said that females were at a higher risk of sustaining an ankle injury compared with males and children.

If the outside of the ankle is stretched or torn, it's the most common type of ankle injury. This is a type of ankle injury.

Studies show that people are more likely to re-sprain their ankle if they get injured.

A history of ankle injury can disrupt the structural integrity of the ankle and impair an individual's ability to avoid injurious situations, according to a review of the evidence.

It might seem like an ankle injury is very minor, with no swelling or mobility issues. Chronic ankle instability is when people tend to re-sprain their ankle again and again.

Up to 70 percent of patients have reported feeling instability and recurrent ankle injury, according to a review looking at factors that contribute to chronic ankle instability. There are adverse health consequences from the development of CAI.

Once an ankle injury is ruled out, busy hospital emergency departments usually send patients home with instructions to ice the ankle and keep it off for a day or two. There isn't often any advice to follow up with a physical therapist.

Evidence shows that people with a history of ankle injuries will likely be involved in this.

Even the other ankle may be at risk

People who hurt their ankle are more likely to have injuries to other joints on the same leg, according to research. An ankle injury is linked to both re-injury and injury to the side of the ankle.

What's the reason? It could be related to the brain's ability to adapt.

Changes in the brain and the way it relates to movement can be caused by extended bed rest or microgravity exposure in astronauts.

Maybe it's due to a slight change in the way you walk, or maybe it's due to a fear of re-spraining. This could cause other joints or the opposite limb to be at increased risk.

Predicting who is likely to be at increased risk of subsequent injuries is one of the new challenges that this neuroscience adds.

What can you do to reduce the risk of re-spraining your ankle?

If you're having ankle injuries, see a doctor. You will be taught how to reduce the risk.

The best evidence for reducing the chance of re-spraining your ankle injury comes down to two things.

An ankle brace is needed to protect the joint.

A professionally fitted external support brace is what this means. This is a cost-effective way of reducing risk.

Balance exercises andceptive training are used in this case.

Some examples of proprioceptive training are listed.

  • balancing on each leg, one at a time, while throwing and catching a ball against a wall
  • balancing on an ankle disc or wobble board for three to five minutes daily.

The exercises can strengthen your ankle.

According to one literature review, prophylactic training is a cost- and time-effective intervention that can benefit patients who have sustained a previous ankle injury during physical activity and can reduce the risk of further injuries.

Gordon Waddington is a professor at the University of Canberra.

Under a Creative Commons license, this article is re-posted. The original article is worth a read.