I’VE ROLLED MY ANKLE… DO I NEED TO SEE A PHYSIO?
Yes!
There is no such thing as a simple rolled ankle. Ankle sprains are a very common injury seen in all ages ranging from rolled ankles on the sporting field to a twisted ankle while walking on an uneven footpath.
Jess Norton shares with you 3 good reasons why you should seek help from your physiotherapist following a simple ankle sprain:
1. ACCURATE DIAGNOSIS
Sprained ankles can vary in degrees of severity and the management and recovery time frames will differ depending on the severity of your sprain. Your physiotherapist can assess your injury in detail and inform you how to manage your acute symptoms and provide you with a recommended rehabilitation plan including specific exercises.
2. RISK OF RE-INJURY
A history of an ankle sprain means your risk of another ankle sprain is now higher. Your physiotherapist can help reduce this risk by ensuring you complete an adequate rehab program (consisting of strength, flexibility and balance training), perform a gradual return to training/games and complete any recommended agility work before returning to high intensity/change of direction type movements.
3. PERSISTING SYMPTOMS
Often the pain and swelling will settle after a few days of rest, however a significant number of people develop persisting symptoms if not managed properly or if no rehab is completed. These symptoms can include stiffness, weakness and instability (especially during cutting type manoeuvres). Your physiotherapist can show you exercises and guide you through your rehab to ensure you make a full recovery and don’t experience any of these ongoing issues.