Ankle sprain return to running.I'm a 62-year-old male who has been running for 45 years. I tripped running and sprained my ankle, in addition to pulling a calf and upper leg muscle too. It's been about two weeks and most of the swelling is down. What exercises should I do to return to my workouts? I have a stationary bicycle stationary bicycle n. See exercise bicycle. , weight machine, elliptical trainer An elliptical trainer (also cross trainer or simply elliptical) is a stationary exercise machine used to simulate walking or running without causing excessive pressure to the joints, hence decreasing the risk of impact injuries. , cross-country ski machine, stair climber climb·er n. 1. One that climbs, especially a person who climbs mountains. 2. Sports A device, such as a crampon, used in mountain climbing. 3. A plant that climbs. 4. , and various free weights. Douglas Artkine Lee, MO Ankles tend to be chronic swellers, so be sure to continue with the ice until all the swelling is gone. I recommend you spend some time on the exercise bike to restore range of motion; the ski machine will serve the same purpose. Just be sure your activity is limited to getting range of motion back--do not go all out yet. If the weight machine has ankle attachments, that can help you strengthen. Check to see if you can stand briefly on your toes without pain before getting too aggressive. Once you have normal range of motion and minimal pain (below a five on a scale of one to ten A scale of one to ten or scale from one to ten is a general and largely vernacular concept used for rating things, people, places, ideas and so on. It is the naturally most popular choice of scale used in ordinary speech, followed by scales of one to five and then one to ), begin running at half speed in straight lines. Don't cut or run circles for four or five weeks, and keep icing that ankle! Ron Kleinman, PT Akron, OH First try exercises without your body weight on the foot, gradually progressing to full weight on both feet, and then to your body weight on only the injured foot. Begin by drawing the alphabet with your foot on the floor while sitting. Next try balancing on both feet, then just the injured foot with eyes closed. Try heel raises next, again on both feet, until you can do them on the injured foot alone without holding on. Pool therapy with a kick board will help restore mobility. Progress to deep water running, and then to speedwalking. Progress gradually to jogging jogging Aerobic exercise involving running at an easy pace. Jogging (1967) by Bill Bowerman and W.E. Harris boosted jogging's popularity for fitness, weight loss, and stress relief. , then running, outside. Remember the four parts to any safe and successful workout regimen: warm-up, stretching, the activity, and stretching/cool down. Jim Buskirk, PT, SCS Chicago, IL Once pain and swelling are reversed, runners often short change the rehab process involved with ankle sprains ankle sprain Orthopedics A stretching of the ankle ligaments and/or muscles with swelling . Range of motion and strength of the ligaments around the ankle, which have been stretched or partially torn, is essential or another sprain sprain, stretching or wrenching of the ligaments and tendons of a joint, often with rupture of the tissues but without dislocation. Sprains occur most commonly at the ankle, knee, or wrist joints, causing pain, swelling, and difficulty in moving the involved joint. may well occur. In addition, improving your positional awareness (proprioception proprioception Perception of stimuli relating to position, posture, equilibrium, or internal condition. Receptors (nerve endings) in skeletal muscles and on tendons provide constant information on limb position and muscle action for coordination of limb movements. ) will help prevent future injury. Rubber tubing can help strengthen the outside (lateral) ligaments by placing the tubing around your forefoot forefoot /fore·foot/ (-foot) 1. one of the front feet of a quadruped. 2. the fore part of the foot. , anchoring it to the leg of a sturdy table, and turning your foot so the resistance is on the outside of the ankle. Hold this position for a count of five for a set of ten repetitions, and repeat this exercise two or three times a day. Often ankle sprains compromise the ability to pull up your foot (dorsiflexion dorsiflexion /dor·si·flex·ion/ (dor?si-flek´shun) flexion or bending toward the extensor aspect of a limb, as of the hand or foot. dor·si·flex·ion n. The turning of the foot or the toes upward. ). Try wrapping a towel around your forefoot and pulling up on the foot. This is not a strengthening exercise, but a stretch, therefore perform this two or three times, holding for a count of 15 to 30. To stretch your calf, stand with your forefoot on the edge of a step and slowly allow your heel to drop down. Again hold for a count of 15 to 30, and repeat several times. Balancing drills will improve your proprioception. Walking on your tiptoes and then on your heels will help. Try these eventually with eyes closed. Next, attempt one-legged hopping. You can return to running once you are pain-free, have full range of motion, and normal strength and balance in your ankle. Start gradually, increasing your distance and speed over time. Carol Zehnacher, PhD, PT Frederick, MD |
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