April 21, 2017 - Ankle Range of Motion

GET YOUR ANKLE MOVING!

In our last ankle post we talked about how one of the biggest errors in ankle sprain rehab is being too cautious. Within 48 hours of a mild ankle sprain we try to achieve as much range of motion within pain tolerance. The 4 primary directions the ankle moves are:

• Dorsiflexion (Toes Up)
• Plantarflexion (Toes Down)
• Inversion (Ankle in)
• Eversion (Ankle out)

Pay careful attention when trying to work both plantar flexion and inversion, as these directions are how the ankle was injured in the first place. Other ideas for early stage ankle rehab include:

• Assisted Dorsiflexion - bring the ankle up with the assistance of a theraband or towel
• Ankle ABC's or Circles - draw the alphabet or circles with your foot. This is an engaging way to get more range 
• Band-Resisted Isometrics - without actually moving the joints, contract the muscles around the ankle by gently resisting into a resistance band in different directions

Doing multiple sets of these exercises after injury ensures the muscles stay active in the lower leg and that ankle joint mobility is maintained!