August 8, 2024
Every year, about 10 out of every 100,000 people experience an ankle sprain. They are common, but that may confuse people into thinking they are benign. In fact, if not properly rehabbed, today’s ankle sprain can lead to bigger problems later in life. Nevertheless, only about half of people seek medical attention for ankle sprains, and only about one out of ten people receive supervised rehab. Here’s the problem with that.
Ankle sprains seem to heal on their own, but it’s usually an incomplete recovery. Most people with ankle sprains report that the pain is gone within six months, but recurrence is high. Additionally, four out of ten people report continued pain, decreased function, and/or instability years after the original strain.
This instability can cause bigger problems years later. Incomplete ankle rehab has been connected with increased risk of ACL tears and of knee and ankle arthritis.
Waiting to see how well an ankle sprain heals on its own can be a costly gamble. Yes, physical therapy will be helpful months and even years later. However, physical therapy achieves its best results when patients get in quickly - even the same day as the sprain if possible. First, passive range of motion can help keep the tissues loose and improve healing patterns. Then therapeutic exercises will support strength and range of motion to prevent future sprains. Finally, proprioceptive rehab will help restore the body’s ability to sense the position of the ankle without looking.
This is vitally important for ankle stability. Ankle sprains usually damage proprioception, and this is usually poorly restored when ankles heal on their own.
In reviewing this data, you agree that this is not medical advice and that medical advice should only be heeded after a proper assessment from a licensed healthcare professional.
