🦶Just a simple ankle sprain? Ankle sprains would have to be one of the most under-rehabilitated sporting injuries🩼
🤕 Unfortunately, a staggering 40% of those who sprain their ankle develop chronic ankle instability in as little as 12 months. (Doherty 2016)
In our experience, many who sprain their ankle suffer impaired function long after their pain has gone. This highlights the importance of ASSESSING to rehabilitate any deficits in capacity & ensure a return to full function.
This includes assessments of:
🔎 Range of movement: especially dorsiflexion with the weight-bearing lunge test (knee extended & flexed). Frequently see dorsiflexion impairments long after injury. Ensure the injured side is within 10% of the other side.
🔎 Balance: single-leg eyes open & closed. Often impaired balance after an ankle sprain. Try balancing for 15 seconds with your eyes closed
🔎 Maximal strength of the calf, ankle & foot: seated or calf isometric, ankle inversion & eversion & foot intrinsic strength.
🔎 Reactive strength: try hopping on the injured side, does it feel & look the same? Alternatively, a 10/5 hop test, drop hop test, triple hop or single leg rebound test to ensure equal GCT & RSI
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🤓Health professionals, to learn more about treating runners, check our upcoming Online & Face to Face “MAT Assessing the Runner” courses. 🔗https://www.matassessment.com/matrunningcourse
‼️ UPCOMING Melbourne face-to-face course: July 20-21st, early bird ends 9th June.
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