By Chris Byers, PT, Advanced Rehab and Sports Medicine
As the weather finally starts to warm up, so does the outdoor activity. Do we prepare for our sudden change in activity levels? Probably not! That is one of the reasons for an increase in foot and ankle injuries, whether it is the overuse variety or a traumatic injury. According to the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons, one hour of strenuous exercise puts up to one million pounds of accumulated pressure on your feet. So I ask you: have you prepared for the sudden increase in your activity?
Here are a few suggestions:
- Walk for a week before starting to jog.
- Stretch your calf muscles and legs.
- Warm up your lower leg muscles before starting your activity.
Now let’s talk about ankle injuries. First of all, do not ignore them. If you suffer an injury and have pain, swelling, or can’t put weight on it, you need to seek out a medical opinion. Minor ankle sprains can lead to permanent ligament damage or joint degeneration without proper care. Also, some fractures can accept weight bearing at first, which can give the mistaken conclusion that it is “only” a sprain. Then the pain can get increasingly worse and the ability to put any weight on it becomes extremely painful. As a rule of thumb, ankle injuries are graded as follows: Grade 1 is a mild sprain where you feel a sudden sharp pain but are able to “walk it off.” Grade 3 is a game ender where any pressure on the foot causes excruciating pain. This needs medical attention. Grade 2 falls in between and deserves caution and rehabilitation to restore normal ankle function before return to activity.
All three grades of ankle injuries need some immediate attention using the R.I.C.E. method:
R. rest and staying off the injured ankle.
I. ice applied immediately and for 15 minutes at a time every hour.
C. compression to the area of injury, possibly with an ACE wrap.
E. elevation of the ankle above the level of the heart.
My last point is directed at the youth sport parents. Kids have the ability to play with chronic pain that we typically brush aside as their need to toughen up. The reality is that they are tough — very tough — and are willing to play even when they themselves feel they probably shouldn’t. Ankles are very prone to re-injury if they are not healed and chronic activity on an injured ankle can lead to stress fractures and irritation of the growth plate. Error on the side of your child’s safety and be very observant as pain will reveal itself through limping or possibly decreased intensity during competition. After all, that fifth grade soccer tournament has little relavence on their future endeavors, but a growth plate injury or fracture could lead to early onset arthritc changes in their adult life.
Please remember to prepare for your activity, take care of any injury, and be safe with your child’s aches and pains associated with youth sports. Have a great spring!
For more information, you may contact Advanced Rehab & Sports Medicine at 309-664-9104 or www.advrehab.com. Their office is located at 135 N. Williamsburg Dr. in Bloomington. Free assessments are offered within 24 hours of contact for patients of all ages.
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