During winter, ankle injuries such as sprained ankle or twisted ankle are common and that means new care techniques and safety precautions. We need to decrease the risk of injury like slipping on a patch of ice by taking precautions that help our feet. Do not miss out on skiing, ice skating, snowboarding, and ice hockey activities because of the fear of a twisted ankle. The recovery time of a twisted ankle can be 4-8 weeks and the remodeling of the nerves and tissue can take up to one year. Visit an ankle sprain specialist for the Ankle Sprains Treatment Houston program that promotes joint strength, balance, healing, and restoring joint biomechanics.
To avoid a twisted ankle this winter, you have to:
- Improve your balance
To avoid a twisted ankle, you need to understand how balance works within your body. The balance of the body can be challenging to understand because your sight has the most impact on how your body moves in anticipation and expectation. However, without the eyes, your body uses the ability to sense to assess the space and surface on which you are walking on. The ability to sense is in the nerves in your foot and ankle and the message is transferred to the inner ear that sends a message to the whole body that you are moving, falling, or any other change in the body position. When all these balance systems work together, you are in good shape. You can improve your balance by practicing how to balance on one foot. It allows the nerves to adjust and train other muscles around the ankle to activate and control your movements. Physical therapy exercise improves balance issues and vestibular conditions.
- Strengthen your core
The hips and trunk are crucial on how you move especially when you abruptly change direction. If you are weak and your body weight keeps moving in a different direction after you change direction. Your weight will push past what your foot and ankle can control causing a twisted ankle. During workouts engage in workouts that will pay attention to the hips and trunk strengthening.
- Wearing supportive footwear
It is advisable to use hard boots to provide support for the ankles. The boots or skates should be the correct size. Wearing oversize boots increases the likelihood of a twisted ankle. Boots with rubber soles with deep grooves are best for walking during the winter.
- Warm-up to improve flexibility
The balance between flexibility and strength is crucial; warm-up before participating in sports. Lightly stretch start with a slow jog for three minutes to warm up the ankle muscles. The muscles gain mobility of the lower leg and relieve discomfort. It also builds up ankle strength as a preventative technique.
- Progressive activity
Before you undertake winter sports, start with several steps. Get your body ready before involving in any winter games by practicing the movement of the sport you want to participate in.
- Brace your ankle
You can tape or brace your ankle to prevent injury. Bracing or taping adds support to the body and promotes the feedback the ankle sends to the body in respect to the activity being done.
If you sustain an injury to your ankle, it is best to seek out a foot specialist so that he or she can diagnose the severity of the injury, and take the necessary measures to treat it. DeNiel Foot & Ankle Center is well equipped to treat all foot and ankle related injuries. Give them a call to schedule an appointment if you have a sprained or twisted ankle.
